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A Treasury of Royal Scandals: The Shocking True Stories of History's Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes, and Emperors
From Nero's nagging mother (whom he found especially annoying after taking her as his lover) to Catherine's stable of studs (not of the equine variety), here is a wickedly delightful look at the most scandalous royal doings you never learned about in history class.
Gleeful, naughty, sometimes perverted--like so many of the crowned heads themselves--A Treasury of Royal Scandals presents the best (the worst?) of royal misbehavior through the ages. From ancient Rome to Edwardian England, from the lavish rooms of Versailles to the darkest corners of the Bastille, the great royals of Europe have excelled at savage parenting, deadly rivalry, pathological lust, and meeting death with the utmost indignity--or just very bad luck.
(Text taken from the back of the book.)
Gleeful, naughty, sometimes perverted--like so many of the crowned heads themselves--A Treasury of Royal Scandals presents the best (the worst?) of royal misbehavior through the ages. From ancient Rome to Edwardian England, from the lavish rooms of Versailles to the darkest corners of the Bastille, the great royals of Europe have excelled at savage parenting, deadly rivalry, pathological lust, and meeting death with the utmost indignity--or just very bad luck.
(Text taken from the back of the book.)
323 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
273 people are currently reading
5302 people want to read
About the author
Michael Farquhar
22 books221 followersMichael Farquhar, a former writer and editor at The Washington Post, is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the critically acclaimed Behind the Palace Doors and Secret Lives of the Tsars, as well as the popular Penguin "Treasury" series: A Treasury of Royal Scandals, A Treasury of Great American Scandals, A Treasury of Deception, and A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans. He lives in Washington, D.C.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
January 22, 2019
Michael Farquhar takes readers through different time periods and countries to remember some of the most scandalous royal persons who have ever lived.
All of the stories showcase the rich assortment of scandals that once flourished across Europe. And, thanks to the generations of royals who unwittingly created them, they remain immensely entertaining. pg 11, ebook.
There is a rich assortment indeed. Almost any kind of depravity can be found in these pages. But the most shocking of the lot, in my mind, were the Roman emperors or the medieval Popes.
I guess those stuck with me the most because the emperors were stunning in how far they would go into their own personal madness, whatever that happened to be. And the Popes because, frankly, you'd think they'd know better.
For example, Tiberius, a Roman emperor, when he wasn't raping young people on the island where he built a castle expressly for that purpose, he was torturing and killing anybody he felt like.
To Tiberius, death was a relatively light punishment. What he really enjoyed was the slow process of getting there. pg 184 Yikes.
As for the Popes, in a cast of colorful characters, the one I remember the most was Benedict Gaetani or Pope Boniface VIII. Not necessarily because of how awful he was, but because how he was so determined to be Pope. Gaetani thought he should hold the office even when someone else was elected. He came up with a creative scheme to get that Pope to resign.
By some accounts, Gaetani installed a hidden tube in Celestine's room. During the night as the pope slept, he would whisper into it, "Celestine, Celestine, lay down your office. It is too much for you." Only too glad to oblige what he believed was the voice of God, Celestine V dutifully resigned and Benedict Gaetani was immediately elected Pope Boniface VIII. pg 217, ebook.
As interesting as this book was, I enjoyed Farquhar's Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year more because I knew fewer of the stories in that book. In fact, some of what he wrote in this book was printed nearly verbatim in the other. (Not that there's anything against that, it is his own writing after all.) But if you only have time to read one non-fiction book full of historical trivia, I'd recommended Bad Days in History.
However, if you're specifically interested in the misbehavior of royal people throughout history, this is the book for you.
All of the stories showcase the rich assortment of scandals that once flourished across Europe. And, thanks to the generations of royals who unwittingly created them, they remain immensely entertaining. pg 11, ebook.
There is a rich assortment indeed. Almost any kind of depravity can be found in these pages. But the most shocking of the lot, in my mind, were the Roman emperors or the medieval Popes.
I guess those stuck with me the most because the emperors were stunning in how far they would go into their own personal madness, whatever that happened to be. And the Popes because, frankly, you'd think they'd know better.
For example, Tiberius, a Roman emperor, when he wasn't raping young people on the island where he built a castle expressly for that purpose, he was torturing and killing anybody he felt like.
To Tiberius, death was a relatively light punishment. What he really enjoyed was the slow process of getting there. pg 184 Yikes.
As for the Popes, in a cast of colorful characters, the one I remember the most was Benedict Gaetani or Pope Boniface VIII. Not necessarily because of how awful he was, but because how he was so determined to be Pope. Gaetani thought he should hold the office even when someone else was elected. He came up with a creative scheme to get that Pope to resign.
By some accounts, Gaetani installed a hidden tube in Celestine's room. During the night as the pope slept, he would whisper into it, "Celestine, Celestine, lay down your office. It is too much for you." Only too glad to oblige what he believed was the voice of God, Celestine V dutifully resigned and Benedict Gaetani was immediately elected Pope Boniface VIII. pg 217, ebook.
As interesting as this book was, I enjoyed Farquhar's Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year more because I knew fewer of the stories in that book. In fact, some of what he wrote in this book was printed nearly verbatim in the other. (Not that there's anything against that, it is his own writing after all.) But if you only have time to read one non-fiction book full of historical trivia, I'd recommended Bad Days in History.
However, if you're specifically interested in the misbehavior of royal people throughout history, this is the book for you.
November 26, 2021
Nu mai rețin unde, dar am citit că unul dintre factorii care a ajutat la dezvoltarea noastră ca noastră a fost bârfa. X discuta cu Y despre ce a făcut Z și uite așa a umblat vorba despre tradiții și comportamente sociale, ducând inclusiv la un limbaj tot mai elaborat. Așa că bârfa poate fi și benefică, nu?!
Farquhar încearcă să ne convingă că acest lucru e adevărat pe parcursul a peste 300 de pagini despre cele mai revoltătoare acțiuni ale oamenilor care au ținut în mâinile lor murdare viața mai multor popoare. Împărați și împărătese, papi, regi și regine, țapi; autorul nu se împiedică de niciun rang și vorbește despre lucruri care pe atunci nici măcar nu mirau pe cineva, oricât de decadente ar fi fost. Ludovic al XV-lea avea șase surori ca amante? Nu-i nimic! Hai să scriem un cântec despre asta, și-au zis oamenii prima dată! ,,Este necredință sau statornicie să alegi o întreagă familie?", au zis apoi.
Nu aș spune că e o carte care să aducă un aport educației și culturii generale, dar a fost o lectură chiar distractivă. Ca și cum m-aș fi uitat la emisiunea aceea prezentată de Dan Capatos, Un show păcătos parcă se numea, doar că invitații au fost personalități istorice, iar asta m-a făcut să mă simt inteligentă. Recenzia aici: https://bit.ly/3p3IJaB.
Farquhar încearcă să ne convingă că acest lucru e adevărat pe parcursul a peste 300 de pagini despre cele mai revoltătoare acțiuni ale oamenilor care au ținut în mâinile lor murdare viața mai multor popoare. Împărați și împărătese, papi, regi și regine, țapi; autorul nu se împiedică de niciun rang și vorbește despre lucruri care pe atunci nici măcar nu mirau pe cineva, oricât de decadente ar fi fost. Ludovic al XV-lea avea șase surori ca amante? Nu-i nimic! Hai să scriem un cântec despre asta, și-au zis oamenii prima dată! ,,Este necredință sau statornicie să alegi o întreagă familie?", au zis apoi.
Nu aș spune că e o carte care să aducă un aport educației și culturii generale, dar a fost o lectură chiar distractivă. Ca și cum m-aș fi uitat la emisiunea aceea prezentată de Dan Capatos, Un show păcătos parcă se numea, doar că invitații au fost personalități istorice, iar asta m-a făcut să mă simt inteligentă. Recenzia aici: https://bit.ly/3p3IJaB.
May 23, 2008
Man, I loved this book when I found it. I was like.. 14 or so. And of course, most of these scandals are about sex, gays and drinking. I thought they were the most scandalous things I'd ever heard. I brought these stories to my history teachers to impress them. Some of them let me tell stories from it to enliven a boring class about whatever historical figure we happened to be talking about that day... a significantly edited story that took out most of the good stuff, but nonetheless.
Anyway, this is good, relaxing, pick it up and put it down, on the toilet, in the hammock, wind down before bed reading.
Enjoy!
Anyway, this is good, relaxing, pick it up and put it down, on the toilet, in the hammock, wind down before bed reading.
Enjoy!
November 19, 2007
To sum up this book quickly: it's good potty reading. In the forward Farquhar explains that he avoids the entire 20th century (with the exception of a few stories about Wallis Simpson). He basically points out that the "scandals" of the 20th century are nothing compared to let's say ordering a small cache of boys to swim naked with you, so they can nip at the treat between your legs. Marrying a divorcee just seems milquetoast in comparison.
Anyhow, it was an enjoyable read. Sad at times, sometimes even disturbing, but for the most part is written with a witty dark humor that will make you laugh at even the most sickeningly, depraved noble. While Farquhar sticks to European royalty for the book, he does include an entire section on Roman Caesars, and early Popes, all of which easily out-deprave the nobles the rest of the book is about.
Each story is short, a sort of Cliff's Notes. This is especially true if you are familiar with some of the stories. For the stories I already knew, his facts were accurate, if a bit summary. This is good, because each tale is bite-sized, making the book good for niblet reading here and there.
The tales Farquhar chooses to tell are sometimes hits, and sometimes misses. I particularly did not see how the detailed accounting of the murder of the Romanov's really fit with some of the other stories, for example.
If you like a good scandal, need some quick reads for here and there, or have a fascination with the excesses that unbridled power brings, this is a book worth checking out at the library.
Anyhow, it was an enjoyable read. Sad at times, sometimes even disturbing, but for the most part is written with a witty dark humor that will make you laugh at even the most sickeningly, depraved noble. While Farquhar sticks to European royalty for the book, he does include an entire section on Roman Caesars, and early Popes, all of which easily out-deprave the nobles the rest of the book is about.
Each story is short, a sort of Cliff's Notes. This is especially true if you are familiar with some of the stories. For the stories I already knew, his facts were accurate, if a bit summary. This is good, because each tale is bite-sized, making the book good for niblet reading here and there.
The tales Farquhar chooses to tell are sometimes hits, and sometimes misses. I particularly did not see how the detailed accounting of the murder of the Romanov's really fit with some of the other stories, for example.
If you like a good scandal, need some quick reads for here and there, or have a fascination with the excesses that unbridled power brings, this is a book worth checking out at the library.
November 15, 2010
I read this one years ago, in just about the perfect setting for reading anything: while riding trains in Scotland. Well, I guess some of it was on planes, and probably some in hotels and hostels. Anyway, I can't separate the book completely with the fact that it was one of the two books I read while in Scotland. (The other one was a Wheel of Time book.)
This was the most entertaining book of history I've ever read, full of bizarre and fascinating stories about royalty that really go to show why incest should remain taboo.
This was the most entertaining book of history I've ever read, full of bizarre and fascinating stories about royalty that really go to show why incest should remain taboo.
November 25, 2017
I just really love Farquhar's writing style. It's very chatty and informal, which I think makes learning history so much easier. A lot of the stories I have heard and/or read about before, but it never hurts to have a history refresher because history is fucking bonkers.
May 26, 2021
Entertaining, but several stories are very questionable, and it could do with slightly more organisation. It's definitely a book for entertainment and does it well, but is a tad chaotic
February 11, 2021
"Królewskie skandale" to książka opisująca różne tak zwane smaczki z życia władców, o których człowiek nigdy nie dowie się na lekcji historii. Czytelnik dostaje ogromny przekrój - od starożytnego Rzymu, kiedy to rządził Neron do czasów panowania obecnej Elżbiety II. Czym są te skandale? Rywalizacją między członkami rodziny o władzę, seksualne podboje, aranżowane małżeństwa wraz z burdami pomiędzy.
Książka składa się z 9 części wraz z drzewami genealogicznymi, osobną rozpiską panujących władców oraz oś czasu. Największy zarzut mam chyba do tego co znajduje się w tych częściach. Wyobraźcie sobie, że macie część nazwaną przykładowo "Cesarzowie". W tej części jest opis cesarzy, ale w sposób chaotyczny, ponieważ autor kompletnie nie trzyma się chronologii co można szybko zweryfikować, patrząc na drzewa genealogiczne. Treść kojarzy się z portalami plotkarskimi, ale co gorsze - dla osób, które częściej sięgają po tego typu pozycje tutaj nie będzie czegoś przełomowego. Czytając, cały czas gdzieś łapałam się na tym, że ja to znam, to wiem, to przypominam sobie. Kolejna kwestia - merytoryczność. Wczytując się w książkę natrafiłam na rozdział o Agrypinie oraz Neronie. Wszędzie powielana jest informacja, że matka z synem mieli romans, a z tego co wiem to nie jest do końca prawda. Agrypina była bardzo pazerna na władzę i nie chciała, żeby syn rządził samodzielnie, a przy okazji zatruwała mu życie. Ciężko tu mówić o jakimkolwiek kazirodczym związku, kiedy to - wbrew pozorom - wrażliwy syn jest doprowadzony do ostateczności i chce, za wszelką cenę, pozbyć się matki, najpierw wsadzając ją na trefny statek, a potem nasyłając zabójców.
Rozdziały są krótkie, więc można w dowolnym momencie szybko przerwać czytanie i nie ma obawy, że kiedy wrócimy z powrotem to zgubimy się w odmętach historii. W książce znajdują się tak jak już wspomniałam drzewa genealogiczne, osie czasu oraz ilustracje co bardzo ułatwia w odnalezieniu się podczas czytania.
Książka składa się z 9 części wraz z drzewami genealogicznymi, osobną rozpiską panujących władców oraz oś czasu. Największy zarzut mam chyba do tego co znajduje się w tych częściach. Wyobraźcie sobie, że macie część nazwaną przykładowo "Cesarzowie". W tej części jest opis cesarzy, ale w sposób chaotyczny, ponieważ autor kompletnie nie trzyma się chronologii co można szybko zweryfikować, patrząc na drzewa genealogiczne. Treść kojarzy się z portalami plotkarskimi, ale co gorsze - dla osób, które częściej sięgają po tego typu pozycje tutaj nie będzie czegoś przełomowego. Czytając, cały czas gdzieś łapałam się na tym, że ja to znam, to wiem, to przypominam sobie. Kolejna kwestia - merytoryczność. Wczytując się w książkę natrafiłam na rozdział o Agrypinie oraz Neronie. Wszędzie powielana jest informacja, że matka z synem mieli romans, a z tego co wiem to nie jest do końca prawda. Agrypina była bardzo pazerna na władzę i nie chciała, żeby syn rządził samodzielnie, a przy okazji zatruwała mu życie. Ciężko tu mówić o jakimkolwiek kazirodczym związku, kiedy to - wbrew pozorom - wrażliwy syn jest doprowadzony do ostateczności i chce, za wszelką cenę, pozbyć się matki, najpierw wsadzając ją na trefny statek, a potem nasyłając zabójców.
Rozdziały są krótkie, więc można w dowolnym momencie szybko przerwać czytanie i nie ma obawy, że kiedy wrócimy z powrotem to zgubimy się w odmętach historii. W książce znajdują się tak jak już wspomniałam drzewa genealogiczne, osie czasu oraz ilustracje co bardzo ułatwia w odnalezieniu się podczas czytania.
May 15, 2021
Farquhar is a former writer at the Washington Post, where his column entertained with stories from history. In this book he digs into the private lives of European royalty, from The Normans in 1066 through The House of Saxe-Colburg-Gotha to Windsor. The titles of the shorts were funny enough: "The Lust Emperors, Six Royals Sinning, Mom was a monster, Pop was a Weasel" You get the idea.
It was not as entertaining as I hoped and that was probably because I have read of these families and their "nasties" before. Yet there were still a few surprises I was not aware of.
It was not as entertaining as I hoped and that was probably because I have read of these families and their "nasties" before. Yet there were still a few surprises I was not aware of.
October 17, 2018
This is a quick dip through centuries of Royal scandal. The author skips over most of the 20th century so don't go looking for Princesses Grace, Margaret, or the former Duchess of York in these pages. You are invited along to climb in the mud with Roman Emperors, Popes, French royalty, plenty of British monarchs and other notable European rulers.
The tone of the book is chatty and catty. It is one of those books where one can dip in and out.
The tone of the book is chatty and catty. It is one of those books where one can dip in and out.
July 13, 2012
What an intriguing read this turned out to be. Sometime last year while I was going to college I skipped a day (one of many days when I skipped) and I went to Goodwill on a Friday for their weekly 50% off sale to see if I could score any good reads and I found this one on the top shelf.
Unfortunately I'm still trying to figure out why it took me over a year to read it, I mean I love the cover, the title and the summary both hold promises of a delightful read but no. I picked it up many times with the intentions to start it but it wasn't until last month that I actually got around to reading it.
What I liked most about the book apart from it offering up some very interesting and some very perverted details about the royal families was that the book didn't just center on the royal families of England and France it encompassed all the European royal families and let me tell you they're a rather colourful bunch of families and talk about inbreeding!
Since this is my first time reading anything by the author I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking the way he used historical facts while making the book entertaining for the reading to make it easy to read. I think the reason that a lot of people stay away from non-fiction titles about the aristocracy and history in general because the books tend to be written in such a dry, heavy manner that doesn't allow for the casual reader to enjoy the words on the pages.
Luckily, this one is full of puns an some very inappropriate comments about the kings and queens of old. Honestly they weren't the type of people whom you would want to call a friend let alone family in those days since there were assassinations, be headings and forced marriages to deal with at every twist and turn. Truly some of the kings and queens were completely off their rockers.
Fortunately the inbreeding, assassinations, be-headings and all the other ugly stuff are no longer a facet of modern royalty (for the most part) because, if we had to deal with some of the royals from the past we'd be screwed worse than we are now.
While I read the book I learned a lot and I had fun doing it too. Then again I'm a history buff so I find this stuff entertaining all the time but for those unfamiliar with this type of book, and the book can be picked up an put down easily and it made me feel like I would be lost if I had to set it down because of how it was written and I had a lot of laugh out loud moments while I read it.
Overall, I highly recommend this to those with a penchant for history and those with a sense of humour as well as those just wanting to read about the royal scandals. Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears have nothing on the scandals in this book. I'm looking forward to reading the other books that the author has written that follow this same topic as this one.
Unfortunately I'm still trying to figure out why it took me over a year to read it, I mean I love the cover, the title and the summary both hold promises of a delightful read but no. I picked it up many times with the intentions to start it but it wasn't until last month that I actually got around to reading it.
What I liked most about the book apart from it offering up some very interesting and some very perverted details about the royal families was that the book didn't just center on the royal families of England and France it encompassed all the European royal families and let me tell you they're a rather colourful bunch of families and talk about inbreeding!
Since this is my first time reading anything by the author I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking the way he used historical facts while making the book entertaining for the reading to make it easy to read. I think the reason that a lot of people stay away from non-fiction titles about the aristocracy and history in general because the books tend to be written in such a dry, heavy manner that doesn't allow for the casual reader to enjoy the words on the pages.
Luckily, this one is full of puns an some very inappropriate comments about the kings and queens of old. Honestly they weren't the type of people whom you would want to call a friend let alone family in those days since there were assassinations, be headings and forced marriages to deal with at every twist and turn. Truly some of the kings and queens were completely off their rockers.
Fortunately the inbreeding, assassinations, be-headings and all the other ugly stuff are no longer a facet of modern royalty (for the most part) because, if we had to deal with some of the royals from the past we'd be screwed worse than we are now.
While I read the book I learned a lot and I had fun doing it too. Then again I'm a history buff so I find this stuff entertaining all the time but for those unfamiliar with this type of book, and the book can be picked up an put down easily and it made me feel like I would be lost if I had to set it down because of how it was written and I had a lot of laugh out loud moments while I read it.
Overall, I highly recommend this to those with a penchant for history and those with a sense of humour as well as those just wanting to read about the royal scandals. Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears have nothing on the scandals in this book. I'm looking forward to reading the other books that the author has written that follow this same topic as this one.
February 6, 2009
I enjoyed thumbing through this. My undergraduate degree (the first one, before I back to school to go into health care) was in history. I was bitten by the history bug thanks to authors like Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert (who you may also know as Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt and Phillipa Carr) and a marvelous history teacher named Martha Morgan my junior year of high school. She used to lean back against her desk, close her eyes, and tell us stories (some of which appear in this book) about historical figures that you might not find in the history books. (Though it was my career as a urology nurse that taught me about Prince Albert piercings....google at your own risk.)
Anyhow, it was fun to breeze through this book, though the organization and lack of index kind of bothered me. I'll be sending it on to the next reader with deep thanks for helping me out on my quest for a book for a newbie BookCrosser.
Anyhow, it was fun to breeze through this book, though the organization and lack of index kind of bothered me. I'll be sending it on to the next reader with deep thanks for helping me out on my quest for a book for a newbie BookCrosser.
April 11, 2010
While there are some really interesting bits in this book, one particular section leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth: The Roman emperors. Sure it's titillating to read about how Tiberius kept young boys stocked by his pool for unusual purposes, or how Nero liked to dress up as an animal to 'attack' his lovers, but it's not accurate. Farquhar's source for these is Suetonius, who I must liken to the Daily Mail or National Enquirer of the ancient world. He wrote and sold scandal, hundreds of years after any of these things happened. No, these emperors were not popular, and they certainly weren't decent people or rulers, but it's not nearly like what it written in this book.
This really does shed the rest of the stories in this book with a bad light. Good for trashy gossip, but I read with a grain of salt.
This really does shed the rest of the stories in this book with a bad light. Good for trashy gossip, but I read with a grain of salt.
January 4, 2009
A very interesting collection of scandals from all royal bloodlines. Some are tragic and some are funny. My favorite is the one about the wedding in Russia that had to consummated on a bed of ice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2017
Great reading of sorted past of royals throughout history, along with popes. On started I could not put it down
July 31, 2018
Loved this book! Great history with reigns and dates.
November 21, 2018
DNF
Disorganised, inaccurate and not particularly well written. I found it very disappointing and gave up.
Disorganised, inaccurate and not particularly well written. I found it very disappointing and gave up.
April 22, 2020
What an unfortunate disappointment. I saw the writer of this book mentioned during a documentary and decided to give it a try. This book is a collection of very brief looks at different historical characters and their sex lives or scandals. By the second story, I regretted renting the e-book. Farquhar describes the French King of Poland and Lithuania, Henri III, as an “ostentatious transvestite” who had friends that were “obsequious gays”. He makes the claim that Henri III was gay despite the fact that there’s plenty of evidence that he had mistresses. He also seems to draw a correlation between cross-dressing and sexuality which is inaccurate and oversimplified. Despite claiming Henri III was gay, a paragraph or so later Farquhar claims Henri III had an “almost incestuous” relationship with his mother. I’m not sure what constitutes as “almost” incestuous but the whole book is filled with vague, edgy statements like this. This book has inaccuracies and generalizations and is not presented in chronological order. I had to read to the end to get to Ancient Rome yet the book started with Catherine the Great for no discernible reason at all. I can’t really recommend this to anyone as it may give you incorrect or outlandish information.
August 29, 2022
A fascinating jog through some of history's most eccentric and disgusting rulers. Power, particularly "divinely instilled" power, as many rulers throughout history claimed to have, attracts and encourages the weird, the mad, the horny, and the horrible, and all four make appearances at various points in Farquhar's Treasury.
From the predilections of the bedroom to the barbarities of the executioner's scaffold and the unfortunate consequences of inbreeding, the royals have been strange and awful for centuries and if you're the kind of person who enjoys reading about the strange and awful this is one for you. Unfortunately, because of the nature of this collection, you really only get a taster of each character's life and their more striking reasons for inclusion on Farquhar's list, rather than a full picture of the person, but it will serve as an excellent jumping off point for those looking to scan the annals of history for its most colorful characters you can do worse than holding your nose and taking the plunge into A Treasury of Royal Scandals
From the predilections of the bedroom to the barbarities of the executioner's scaffold and the unfortunate consequences of inbreeding, the royals have been strange and awful for centuries and if you're the kind of person who enjoys reading about the strange and awful this is one for you. Unfortunately, because of the nature of this collection, you really only get a taster of each character's life and their more striking reasons for inclusion on Farquhar's list, rather than a full picture of the person, but it will serve as an excellent jumping off point for those looking to scan the annals of history for its most colorful characters you can do worse than holding your nose and taking the plunge into A Treasury of Royal Scandals
May 1, 2023
There's a lot of info in this book! It's an enjoyable read, facts and events are given without a bunch of fluff. It was a bit hard to follow because there are a lot people with the same names and events are grouped together, not necessarily in order. There are family trees in the front and timelines in the back that help to sort it out.
I liked learning about history that is not usually in text books. For example, I am familiar with Napoleon but i didn't know the extent of his siblings and family issues.
The most interesting section for me was about the Popes and how they fought to rule similarly to how monarchs fought each other.
Recommend for a bit of interesting lesser known history!
I liked learning about history that is not usually in text books. For example, I am familiar with Napoleon but i didn't know the extent of his siblings and family issues.
The most interesting section for me was about the Popes and how they fought to rule similarly to how monarchs fought each other.
Recommend for a bit of interesting lesser known history!
December 27, 2023
An untraditional way of recounting history... It wasn't a bad book per-say, but it really became repetitive and overly dark for no reason. Every story was just really depressing and just showed really sad points of humanity. I found Farquhar's humor to be fun at times, but it became overplayed because you really can only find affairs and beheadings to be amusing for so long. Overall fine book but I would not recommend it unless you're a big history fan with a dark sense of humor.
July 20, 2019
The part on Rome and Popes was interesting as were a few other bits but everything else felt repetitive and didn’t feel like anything new. Plus almost everyone had the same name so it was a little hard keeping up since I listened to the audio.
April 26, 2019
Interesting. Lots of gossip
January 9, 2024
This relies too much on tired misogynistic and homophobic rumors. Despite the attempt to be witty and quippy, certain moments were simply too much (describing Anne Boleyn as the “hired help”?!)
Read
February 4, 2024nie skoczyłam ale jakieś połowę przeczytałam ale nie chciało mi się przedłużać z biblioteki czwarty raz
April 11, 2025
Short vignettes, perfect for gym audiobook.
November 30, 2025
Some sad, some creepy, some worrisome.
June 8, 2020
I mean, you couldn’t even make up the things that happened throughout the history of the royal family. And the popes! Yikes. A fascinating read, told in an entertaining and irreverent way.
May 5, 2021
DNF, about 70% of the way through. I enjoyed what I read but it didn't really hold my attention.
May 14, 2015
“ A Treasury of Royal Scandals, The Shocking True Stories of History’s Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars’, Popes, and Emperors” by Michael Farquhar, published by Penguin Books.
Category – History/Scandals Publication Date – May 01, 2001
If one is looking for some history that is part comedy, part tragedy, and part stupid this book will fit any and all of those categories. Most of these stories you definitely did not study in high school and probably not in college. These true stories range from the Roman era to Edwardian, England.
Although most of these stories are of the tragic variety, they are filled with stupidity to the umpteenth degree. It is very difficult to believe that the populace could be so taken in as to let these Kings, Queens, etc, get away with (literally) murder while they lived in abject poverty. One must remember though that they were uneducated and brought up to believe in the absolute power of the ruler.
There was the unbelievable extravagance of these monarchs that included land, jewels, clothing, and food. There was infighting among the royal families that led to imprisonment and beheadings. It was not unusual for all members of the royal families to be involved in extramarital affairs, and most times these affairs were known and tolerated. The Catholic Church was far from innocent as many of the Popes of the Church fathered illegitimate children. It was not unusual for one to gain the highest honor of the Church through monetary gifts, collusion, or even murder.
The stories are varied and interesting. The book can be picked up and put down without worrying about losing the trend of the story. It gives the reader a different slant on history, and at the same time provides a touch of comedy that proves entertaining and informative reading.
Category – History/Scandals Publication Date – May 01, 2001
If one is looking for some history that is part comedy, part tragedy, and part stupid this book will fit any and all of those categories. Most of these stories you definitely did not study in high school and probably not in college. These true stories range from the Roman era to Edwardian, England.
Although most of these stories are of the tragic variety, they are filled with stupidity to the umpteenth degree. It is very difficult to believe that the populace could be so taken in as to let these Kings, Queens, etc, get away with (literally) murder while they lived in abject poverty. One must remember though that they were uneducated and brought up to believe in the absolute power of the ruler.
There was the unbelievable extravagance of these monarchs that included land, jewels, clothing, and food. There was infighting among the royal families that led to imprisonment and beheadings. It was not unusual for all members of the royal families to be involved in extramarital affairs, and most times these affairs were known and tolerated. The Catholic Church was far from innocent as many of the Popes of the Church fathered illegitimate children. It was not unusual for one to gain the highest honor of the Church through monetary gifts, collusion, or even murder.
The stories are varied and interesting. The book can be picked up and put down without worrying about losing the trend of the story. It gives the reader a different slant on history, and at the same time provides a touch of comedy that proves entertaining and informative reading.
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