Blood, fire & gold The story of Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici

Review by Booklist Review

Historian Paranque examines female power in sixteenth-century Europe, using the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici as her focal point. Catherine, born in Florence, wed Henry II of France in 1533. Her real influence at court came after the death of her husband, when she took on the role of queen regent. Suppressed by her late husband, she was eager to exercise her political acumen when her nine-year-old son ascended the throne. Concurrently, Elizabeth I was crowned queen of England. She immediately met with palace intrigue and constant beseeching from her advisers to marry in order to secure her throne. She and Catherine took each other's measure, while also contending with the machinations of Mary, Queen of Scots. Catherine remained determined to bring Elizabeth into her fold through marriage, but Elizabeth was equally determined to remain autonomous in her own country. Paranque adeptly illustrates that Catherine's power, while covert, was no less effective. Drawing on new research and private correspondence, Paranque paints a vivid picture of two formidable women whose rivalry motivated their respective choices and accomplishments. Recommended.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

---

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Political power and intrigue permeate this immersive dual biography of 16th-century queens by historian Paranque (Elizabeth I of England Through Valois Eyes). Elizabeth I, the only daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, ascended to the English throne in 1558, while Catherine de Medici became "Gouvernante de France" two years later, exercising royal power on behalf of her nine-year-old son, King Charles IX. The book's most fascinating sections reveal how the two queens' efforts toto forge a strong French-English alliance and calm religious conflict through dynastic marriage, trade agreements, and peace treaties were complicated by their constant need to prove "their legitimacy and ability to rule in a male-dominated world." After proposed marriages to King Charles IX and his brother Henry fell apart, Elizabeth was drawn to Catherine's youngest son, Francis, Duke of Anjou, a supporter of French Protestants. Many of her ministers opposed the match, however, and Elizabeth eventually reneged on their engagement. Catherine's power in France declined, and a few months after her death in 1589, her son King Henry III was murdered and Henry III of Navarre, a Protestant, became king, a succession backed by Elizabeth, who by then had become the most feared protector of her faith in Europe and one of the world's most powerful monarchs. Paranque's vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of the political and religious stakes involved result in a certifiable historical page-turner. (Dec.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

---

Review by Library Journal Review

England's Elizabeth I and France's Catherine de' Medici were powerful rulers during an era when women's lives were often restricted to the domestic sphere. In this dual biography, historian Paranque (Elizabeth I of England Through Valois Eyes) explores the rise and reign of these two powerful Renaissance queens, including the ways in which their lives intersected through both diplomacy and conflict. Both wielded power in different ways--as queen regnant, Elizabeth was able to lead her country directly, while Catherine, wife of French king Henry II, was a strategic operator who was the power behind the French throne for decades, both as the wife of the reigning king and, later, as queen mother. Paranque makes extensive use of primary sources, including letters between the two queens, to illustrate their similarities and differences, as well as their ongoing rivalry. Narrator Anna Wilson-Jones's crisply enunciated English accent is an excellent fit for the narrative, and she maintains a steady pace throughout the book, drawing listeners into the courtly intrigue and treachery. VERDICT An excellent choice for both history buffs and listeners who are interested in feminist history and the lives of women rulers.--Nanette Donohue

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Kirkus Book Review

A dual biography of two legendary women of the 16th century. That Elizabeth ruled England from 1558 to 1603 is well known, but readers may need reminding that Catherine de Medici, the Italian-born wife of one French king and mother of three others, was a dominant figure during the reigns of her children from 1559 until her death in 1589. History professor Paranque emphasizes that the two had much in common, including their endurance of oppressive early years. Marginalized by her father, Henry VIII, due to his obsession with obtaining a male heir, Elizabeth feared for her life during the reign of her predecessor, Mary, who did not hesitate to execute those she believed threatened her throne. Though a common stratagem in Italy's tortured politics, Catherine's marriage into France's royal family seemed a dead end, as her husband, Henry II, ignored her in favor of his mistress. Matters improved when both Mary and Henry II died within months of each other. Elizabeth became queen of England. Although Salic law forbade women rulers in France, Catherine's male children required a regent when young and became accustomed to her authority as years passed. The women never met, but they argued, cooperated, negotiated, and made war, usually as enemies but occasionally together, for 30 years, during a time awash in violent religious disputes. These battles tore France apart, and the nation was overshadowed by Europe's superpower, Spain, which, despite being firmly Catholic, gave priority to its national interests and so sometimes allied with Protestant England, sometimes with France. Inevitably, the text is mostly a record of quarrels and negotiations as revealed in the two women's massive private correspondence and diplomatic reports. To enliven matters, Paranque often converts the material into fictionalized scenes with invented dialogue and insight into the characters' thoughts. Although not always successfully, the tactic seems to preserve the spirit of the interactions. Solid diplomatic history and account of the lives of two female rulers who held their own in Renaissance Europe. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

---