Queens of the Crusades: Eleanor of Aquitaine and Her Successors

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Esther Wane

Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in our history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion against their king, queen seductresses, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with the romantic culture of Southern Europe - these determined women often broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence, for good and sometimes for ill.

Alison Weir’s ground-breaking history of the queens of medieval England now moves into a period of even higher drama, from 1154 to 1291: years of chivalry, dynastic ambition, conflict with the church, baronial wars and the all-pervading bonds of feudalism. We see events such as the murder of Becket, the Magna Carta and the birth of parliaments from a new perspective. Her narrative begins with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Henry II establishes a dynasty which rules for more than 300 years and creates the most powerful empire in Western Christendom - but also sows the seeds for some of the most destructive family conflicts in history and for the collapse, under her son King John, of England’s power in Europe. The lives of Eleanor’s successors were just as remarkable: Berengaria of Navarre, queen of Richard the Lionheart, Isabella of Angoulême, queen of John, and Alienor of Provence, queen of Henry III, and finally Eleanor of Castile, the grasping but beloved wife of Edward I.

Through the story of these first five Plantagenet queens, Alison Weir provides an enthralling new perspective on a dramatic period of high romance and sometimes low politics, with determined women at its heart.

©2019 Alison Weir (P)2020 W F Howes

So interesting

Wow, I had no idea how French these people were. Very interesting how these women wielded power. Beautiful narration.

Enjoyable read!

Intriguing- it made me want to read more about them all! I also really enjoyed the narrator. It made for such an enjoyable read!

Amazing

Another wonderfully detailed book by Alison Weir on English Queens few people know little about. Once again, Ms. Weir does not disappoint.

Excellent!!

Great history told in a very interesting manner. Really brings the lives of these queens to life!

This one really grew on me

I wasn't too crazy about this book the first time I listened to it but I appreciated it more upon re-listening. I do think it starts a little slow, even though the information about Stephen of Blois and Matilda was interesting, I really enjoyed it more later on. My favorite chapters were the ones about Eleanor of Aquitaine. I've always thought she was really unique and interesting but, surprisingly, there aren't a lot of biographies about her. Alison Weir is a great writer and I've listened to many of her books. I hope she follows this one up starting with the queen of Edward II.

rich history

appreciated the straight forward history of the overlooked queens of England.
well written.
narrators did a good job

Ladies of the Crusades

Well written and performed. m
Ms Weir once again proves her knowledge of the period is remardable.

I Lost my Way Just a Bit

I love Alison Weir's works; they are informative and riveting and bring history close to home and accessible. This particular book is a bit too ambitious at the end for me though, it covers too long a period in my opinion and what once was clear and defined in my mind at the beginning with Eleanor of Aquitaine becomes muddled and confusing by the end, making me wish for fewer characters and one book split into two instead.

Lost in lists

I enjoyed Alison Weir’s previous works. However, I found the list of items given at feast days by the various queens and kings to their children tedious. I felt that the author assumed the audience either read her previous works, and didn’t bother with the “story” of each queen. Neither am I sure how any of the queens stories relates to the crusades, other than they happen to be queens during that period of time.

A real Masterpiece!

I've enjoyed every single second of this audiobook!! Wonderfully written and narrated!! It has enriched both my mind and soul!