
Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England (Paperback)
Tracy Borman (author)- In stock
Read the thrilling, tempestuous story of the 'first' Queen of England.
Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, was the first woman to be crowned Queen of England and formally recognised as such by her subjects. Beyond this, however, little is known of her. No contemporary images of her remain, and the chroniclers of her age left us only the faintest clues as to her life. Who was this spectral queen?
In this first major biography, Tracy Borman sifts through the evidence to uncover an extraordinary story. Matilda was loving and pious, possessed strength, ambition and intelligence, and was fiercely independent. All of these attributes gave her unparalleled influence over William. Although Matilda would provide an inspiring template for future indomitable queens, these qualities also led to treachery, revolt and the fracturing of a dynasty.
Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England takes us from the courts of Flanders to the opulence of royal life in England. Alive with intrigue, rumour and betrayal, it illuminates for the first time the life of an exceptional, brave and complex queen pivotal to the history of England.
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
ISBN: 9780099549130
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 235 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 20 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
Borman shows that Matilda was a capable regent and political operator... Matilda remains relevant: one legacy is her bloodline, which still rules in Britain today * Sunday Times *
A richly layered treatment of a stormy reign * Kirkus *
Borman moves deftly between the difficult written sources... The often scanty details of Matilda's life are given more rounded form by viewing them in context * History Today *
Borman has expertly forged an absorbing biography from fragments of her personal history * Independent *
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“Splendid book on England's first crowned Queen”
The first thing one has to think when hearing about this book is why has no one written a biography on this Queen before? But thankfully Tracy Borman has now taken Matilda out of the historical darkness & shown us... More
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