Henrietta Maria, the Intrepid Queen

by Rosalind K. Marshall

Book by Marshall, Rosalind Kay

Genres: History

147 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Dr Rosalind K. Marshall, is a well-known writer and historian. She has written widely on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, specialising in women’s history, and is the author of seventeen books, including The Days of Duchess Anne, John Knox, Queen Mary’s Women and Scottish Queens. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and research associate of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, to which she has contributed more than fifty articles.

Reviews

[Orsolya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen Henrietta Maria, the queen consort of King Charles I, was not only born into royalty but also withstood insurmountable events during her lifetime. Yet, like most powerful women, Henrietta Maria is often ridiculed as a “Popish Brat” or a trivial and troublesome wife; due to the fact that she was the Catholic wife of Charles during a civil war (and subsequent royal regicide) in a mostly Protestant England. On the contrary, Henrietta Maria was a fearless, calculated, intelligent, ambitious, hardworking warrior with a loving and feminine edge and most certainly doesn’t deserve the poor reputation that history (written mostly by men) have ascribed. Historian Rosalind K. Marshall opens this marvelous queen’s life in, “Henrietta Mara: The Intrepid Queen”.

“Henrietta Maria” is a glossy-paged, short (so far as typical history books go), compact, biographical essay showcasing the life of Henrietta Maria on a mostly chronological timeline alighting with a look at her family background and childhood. Marshall doesn’t fail at instantly grabbing reader attention with intricate, colorful and vivid writing that creates moving visuals as one reads. The text soars and history comes alive with ease. Although Marshall occasionally slips into an informal tone that is better suited for young adults; a concrete level of scholarly academia is achieved making “Henrietta Maria” ideal for both novice and expert history readers.

Marshall is a master at tempo and pace resulting in an accessible read. This doesn’t mean that “Henrietta Maria” is translucent on the history surrounding Henrietta Maria and her time in England’s as King Charles I’s queen. Quite the opposite, as Marshall achieves in a small space what most writers take several hundred more pages to produce; by genuinely educating readers on Henrietta Maria revealing and unsheathing new facts traditionally unfamiliar even to readers well-versed on the subject. This is quite admirable when considering that “Henrietta Maria” was published in 1992 without the ease of research logistics of today. Rosalind attributes the perfect ratio of historical detail to the pages but knowing when to move onto the next subject.

The pages of “Henrietta Maria” are filled with credible research and primary quote source material allowing for Marshall to remain unbiased and propose an objective essay of Henrietta Maria. “Henrietta Maria” is not an outright rehabilitation of character but it accomplishes this by letting Henrietta Maria speak for herself, based on fact, and allowing readers to decide on their interpretations. Marshall’s writing is almost effortless at perfection.

There are occasional slips in the chronological retelling of events but this isn’t due to writer or editor error; but merely to provide layered context or revisit an idea that impacts the topic on hand. This doesn’t disrupt reader attention and is easy to traverse and absorb.

Naturally, “Henrietta Maria” is most riveting when exploring her machinations during the onset and duration of England’s civil war and exile fighting for her husband to retain his throne. It is impossible to hate Henrietta Maria at this juncture or not to be intimidated by her plight and ‘fight’. Henrietta’s strength of character shines by Marshall’s pen and “Henrietta Maria” is glorious and riveting.

The conclusion of “Henrietta Maria” is succinct enough but a deeper insight into her legacy and descendants would have been welcomed. Regardless, “Henrietta is well-rounded and doesn’t fade out with any confusion.

“Henrietta Maria” is filled with what feels like hundreds of images/illustrations/documents that swing the text into an almost coffee table book varietal. This adds to the beauty of the material and is flawless in its ability to add depth. Rosalind doesn’t include annotated notes but does offer some source material for additional reading.

“Henrietta Maria” is quick read and shorter on the pages and yet, that is what adds to the stunning complexity and punch that is given in a small space. “Henrietta Maria” is both educational and entertaining recommended for both novice and expert level readers of Stuart England.