Young Queens

The first work of trade history to look at the intertwined lives of these three queens, Young Queens fuses new archival research with lush, rich storytelling - for readers of the immersive narrative histories of William Dalrymple; fresh takes on women's history like Hallie Rubenhold's The Five; and the royal histories of Alison WeirWhile a work of history, Young Queens is also a book that asks profoundly modern questions about women, gender and power, from a prize-winning expert on Renaissance EuropeWill be a glorious package fitting for the subject, complete with a 16-page plate sectionLeah Redmond Chang is a former Associate Professor of French and Director of the French Literature Programme at George Washington University, and was most recently a Senior Research Associate at University College London. She is the author of two previous books: Into Print: The Production of Female Authorship in Early Modern France and Portraits of the Queen Mother: Polemics, Panegyrics, Letters, winner of the Josephine Roberts Award from the International Society for the Study of Early Modern Women. She lives with her husband and three children, and spends her time between Washington, DC and London.The boldly original, dramatic intertwined story of Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois, and Mary, Queen of Scots - three queens exercising power in a world dominated by men. 'This exceptionally brilliant book, deft of phrase and vividly realised, conveys the vitality of the past as few books do. It's an enviable tour de force and marks the arrival of a wonderful new voice in narrative history' Suzannah Lipscomb Sixteenth-century Europe: Renaissance masters paint the ceilings of Florentine churches, kings battle for control of the Continent, and the Reformation forever changes the religious organisation of society. Amidst it all, three young women come of age and into power in an era of empires and revolutions. Catherine de' Medici's story begins in a convent stormed by soldiers intent on seizing the key to power in Florence - Catherine herself, a girl barely 11 years old. It ends with her as the controversial queen mother of France, a woman both revered and reviled. Mary, Queen of Scots' story begins in Scotland and ends in England. A queen turned traitor, from the confines of her English prison she longs for the idyll of her childhood in France. Elisabeth de Valois' story begins in France, where she is born the beloved daughter of a king. It ends tragically in Spain as a cherished queen consort and mother - one who must make the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom. Catherine, Mary and Elisabeth lived at the French court together for many years before scattering to different kingdoms. These years bound them to one another through blood and marriage, alliance and friendship, love and filial piety; bonds that were tested when the women were forced to part and take on new roles. To rule, they would learn, was to wage a constant war against the deeply entrenched misogyny of their time. A crown could exalt a young woman. Equally, it could destroy her. Drawing on new archival research, Young Queens masterfully weaves the personal stories of these three queens into one, revealing their hopes, dreams, desires and regrets in a time when even the most powerful women lived at the mercy of the state.The boldly original, dramatic intertwined story of Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois, and Mary, Queen of Scots - three queens exercising power in a world dominated by men.Young Queens takes us into the hearts and minds of three extraordinary women. Leah Redmond Chang's meticulous research and engaging prose gives each of them their due, providing a rich and nuanced perspective on the challenges they faced and the remarkable legacies they left behindThis exceptionally brilliant book, deft of phrase and vividly realised, conveys the vitality of the past as few books do. It's an enviable tour de force and marks the arrival of a wonderful new voice in narrative historyAmidst the turbulence of the 16th century, the lives of a Queen Mother, a Queen Consort and a Queen Regnant became irrevocably entangled as they restitched the tapestry of Europe with the thread of five great houses. Both an evocative re-imagination of political history and a meditation on the nature of queenship, Young Queens is a tour de force of storytellingThis exceptionally researched narrative successfully weaves together the stories of three of the most intriguing queens in sixteenth-century Europe, revealing them to be integral parts both of one another's lives and the complex worlds in which they lived. Leah Redmond Chang expertly navigates the tumultuous waters of the French, Spanish, and Scottish courts, and in so doing brings these fascinating queens to brilliant and vivid lifeAlluring, gripping, real: an astonishing insight into the lives of three queens, stepping out from the shadows of the patriarchy - we meet them on their own termsYoung Queens binds intense and innovative scholarship to vivid writing. Leah Redmond Chang breathes life into three fascinating queens - of France, Spain and Scotland, and shows us the women behind these icons of royal power. She reveals how their lives, hearts, families and fates were interlinked and what joys and unbearable pressures this placed upon them. A rare and delightful book and a hugely rewarding read