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Matilda
- Empress, Queen, Warrior
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
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Publisher's summary
A life of Matilda - empress, skilled military leader, and one of the greatest figures of the English Middle Ages.
Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown - the first woman ever to hold the position - and an able military general.
This new biography explores Matilda's achievements as military and political leader and sets her life and career in full context. Catherine Hanley provides fresh insight into Matilda's campaign to claim the title of queen, her approach to allied kingdoms and rival rulers, and her role in the succession crisis. Hanley highlights how Matilda fought for the throne and argues that although she never sat on it herself, her reward was to see her son become king. Extraordinarily, her line has continued through every single monarch of England or Britain from that time to the present day.
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She-Wolves
- The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
- By: Helen Castor
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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In the tradition of Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir, prize-winning historian Helen Castor delivers a compelling, eye-opening examination of women and power in England, witnessed through the lives of six women who exercised power against all odds - and one who never got the chance. Exploring the narratives of the Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou, and other "she-wolves," as well as that of the Nine Days' Queen, Lady Jane Grey, Castor invokes a magisterial discussion of how much - and how little - has changed through the centuries.
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STORY TELLING IS ERRATIC
- By The Louligan on 07-22-20
By: Helen Castor
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Daughters of Chivalry
- The Forgotten Princesses of King Edward Longshanks
- By: Kelcey Wilson-Lee
- Narrated by: Christine Rendel
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Virginal, chaste, humble, patiently waiting for rescue by brave knights and handsome princes: this idealized—and largely mythical—notion of the medieval noblewoman still lingers. Yet the reality was very different, as Kelcey Wilson-Lee shows in this vibrant account of the five daughters of Edward I, often known as Longshanks. The lives of these sisters—Eleanora, Joanna, Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth—ran the gamut of experiences open to royal women in the Middle Ages.
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fascinating!
- By Anne Keys on 02-11-23
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The Black Prince
- England's Greatest Medieval Warrior
- By: Michael Jones
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 16 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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As a child, he was given his own suit of armor; at the age of 16, he helped defeat the French at Crecy. At Poitiers, in 1356, his victory over King John II of France forced the French into a humiliating surrender that marked the zenith of England's dominance in the Hundred Years War. As lord of Aquitaine, he ruled a vast swathe of territory across the west and southwest of France, holding a magnificent court at Bordeaux that mesmerized the brave but unruly Gascon nobility. He was Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III, and better known to posterity as "the Black Prince".
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Outstanding history
- By Scott on 02-17-19
By: Michael Jones
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The Demon's Brood
- A History of the Plantagenet Dynasty
- By: Desmond Seward
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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The Plantagenets reigned over England longer than any other family - from Henry II to Richard III. Four kings were murdered, two came close to being deposed, and the last - and most notorious, Richard III - was killed in a battle by rebels. Shakespeare wrote plays about six of them, further entrenching them in the national myth. Based on major contemporary sources and recent research, acclaimed historian Desmond Seward provides the first accessible overview of the whole extraordinary dynasty.
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Could have been fantastic
- By Sheila on 05-19-17
By: Desmond Seward
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Four Queens
- The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Josephine Bailey
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 13th century, a time of chivalry and crusades, poetry, knights, and monarchs, comes the story of the four beautiful daughters of the count of Provence, whose brilliant marriages made them the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily.
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Interesting, informative
- By Eunice on 12-06-07
By: Nancy Goldstone
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Emperor
- A New Life of Charles V
- By: Geoffrey Parker
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 26 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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The life of Emperor Charles V (1500-1558), ruler of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and much of Italy and Central and South America, has long intrigued biographers. But the elusive nature of the man (despite an abundance of documentation), his relentless travel and the control of his own image, together with the complexity of governing the world's first transatlantic empire, complicate the task.
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Amazing.
- By bigdjunta on 10-21-19
By: Geoffrey Parker
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Edward III
- The Perfect King
- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
- Length: 19 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Holding power for over 50 years starting in 1327, Edward III was one of England's most influential kings and one who shaped the course of English history. Revered as one of the country's most illustrious leaders for centuries, he was also a usurper and a warmonger who ordered his uncle beheaded. A brutal man, to be sure, but also a brilliant one.
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Great book about Edward III
- By Kiesha on 07-05-16
By: Ian Mortimer
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King John
- Treachery and Tyranny in Medieval England: The Road to Magna Carta
- By: Marc Morris
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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King John is familiar to everyone as the villain from the tales of Robin Hood - greedy, cowardly, despicable, and cruel. But who was the man behind the legend? Was he a monster or a capable ruler cursed by bad luck? In this new book, best-selling historian Marc Morris draws on contemporary chronicles and the king's own letters to bring the real King John vividly to life. John was dynamic, inventive, and relentless but also a figure with terrible flaws.
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Interesting, but confusing
- By mkl929 on 08-09-21
By: Marc Morris
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Henry V
- The Warrior King of 1415
- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 25 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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This insightful look at the life of Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt casts new light on a period in history often held up as legend. A great English hero, Henry V was lionized by Shakespeare and revered by his countrymen for his religious commitment, his sense of justice, and his military victories. Here, noted historian and biographer Ian Mortimer takes a look at the man behind the legend and offers a clear, historically accurate, and realistic representation of a ruler who was all too human.
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Accessible, grounded, enjoyable
- By Justa Guy on 04-10-18
By: Ian Mortimer
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Henry IV
- The Righteous King
- By: Ian Mortimer
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 22 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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The talented, confident, and intelligent son of John of Gaunt, Henry IV started his reign as a popular and charismatic king after he dethroned the tyrannical and wildly unpopular Richard II. But six years into his reign, Henry had survived eight assassination and overthrow attempts. Having broken God's law of primogeniture by overthrowing the man many people saw as the chosen king, Henry IV left himself vulnerable to challenges from powerful enemies about the validity of his reign. Even so, Henry managed to establish the new Lancastrian dynasty and a new rule of law.
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Detailed and compelling
- By kayakman on 12-15-17
By: Ian Mortimer
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Lost Heirs of the Medieval Crown
- The Kings and Queens Who Never Were
- By: J.F. Andrews
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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When William the Conqueror died in 1087, he left the throne of England to William Rufus . . . his second son. The result was an immediate war as Rufus's elder brother Robert fought to gain the crown he saw as rightfully his; this conflict marked the start of 400 years of bloody disputes as the English monarchy's line of hereditary succession was bent, twisted, and finally broken when the last Plantagenet king, Richard III, fell at Bosworth in 1485.
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Great Listen
- By PrettyinPink on 01-03-24
By: J.F. Andrews
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Blood Roses
- The Houses of Lancaster and York Before the Wars of the Roses
- By: Kathryn Warner
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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The Wars of the Roses didn't start on the battlefield: Blood Roses traces it back to the beginning. Starting in 1245 with the founding of the House of Lancaster, Kathryn Warner follows a twisted path of political intrigue, bloody war, and fascinating characters over 200 years. From the Barons' Wars to the overthrowing of Edward II, Eleanor of Castile to Isabella of France, and true love to Loveday, Blood Roses reframes some of the biggest events of the medieval era—not as stand-alone conflicts, but as part of a long-running family feud that would have drastic consequences.
By: Kathryn Warner
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A Hidden History of The Tower of London
- England’s Most Notorious Prisoners
- By: John Paul Davis
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Famed as the ultimate penalty for traitors, heretics, and royalty alike, being sent to the Tower is known to have been experienced by no less than 8,000 unfortunate souls. Many of those who were imprisoned in the Tower never returned to civilization and those who did, often did so without their head! It is hardly surprising that the Tower has earned itself a reputation among the most infamous buildings on the planet.
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History buffs, this is for you!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-11-22
By: John Paul Davis
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The Red Prince
- The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster
- By: Helen Carr
- Narrated by: Helen Carr
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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John Gaunt was the son of Edward III, brother to the Black Prince, father to Henry IV, and the sire of all those Tudors. He has had pretty bad press: supposed usurper of Richard II’s crown and the focus of hatred in the Peasants’ Revolt, as they torched his home, the Savoy Palace. Helen Carr paints a complex portrait of a man who held the levers of power on the English and European stage, passionately upheld chivalric values, pressed for the Bible to be translated into English, and patronized the arts.
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Excellent historical reference
- By Virginia Robertshaw on 06-10-21
By: Helen Carr
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Richard III
- The Self-Made King
- By: Michael Hicks
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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The reign of Richard III, the last Yorkist king and the final monarch of the Plantagenet dynasty, marked a turning point in British history. But despite his lasting legacy, Richard only ruled as king for the final two years of his life. While much attention has been given to his short reign, Michael Hicks explores the whole of Richard's fascinating life and traces the unfolding of his character and career from his early years as the son of a duke to his violent death at the battle of Bosworth.
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Splendid
- By Charles on 01-28-20
By: Michael Hicks
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Queens of the Crusades: Eleanor of Aquitaine and Her Successors
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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A real Masterpiece!
- By Amazon Customer on 03-30-21
By: Alison Weir
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Imprudent King
- A New Life of Philip II
- By: Geoffrey Parker
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Philip II is not only the most famous king in Spanish history, but one of the most famous monarchs in English history: the man who married Mary Tudor and later launched the Spanish Armada against her sister Elizabeth I. This compelling biography of the most powerful European monarch of his day begins with his conception (1526) and ends with his ascent to Paradise (1603), two occurrences surprisingly well documented by contemporaries. Eminent historian Geoffrey Parker draws on four decades of research on Philip as well as a recent, extraordinary archival discovery - a trove of 3,000 documents in vaults in New York City....
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Great, but I jumbled
- By Missee on 03-18-19
By: Geoffrey Parker
What listeners say about Matilda
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Swilson
- 12-13-21
Confusing Matilda
The book was very informative and well written. The narrator was great. I found it tough at times to keep track of which Matilda was doing what during the battle.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-23-23
Wonderful
I really enjoyed this book, I accidentally stumbled on it looking for her grandmother, Matilda, Queen consort to William the conqueror. I would love to know more about her sources. I thought this book was wonderful, and how someone has the patience and diligence to compile all this information together is beyond me thank goodness there are authors who can do this. We plan to go to Rouen. I just loved this book.
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- Christopher Zachary
- 06-14-21
essential study for English royal succession
I am an amateur historian if not more a fan of history. I am also a huge fan of this work.
the author does an excellent job of filling the reader in on what is going on else where and providing context. of special interest the author invests their time in cutting through the bias laid on the topic by the many intervening years to provide as honest and accurate an image of the subject as this reader believes possible.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Jordan H.
- 11-09-23
Hey this was great!
My favorite period of English history goes from Alfred to the Angevins and Empress Matilda is a key factor. Her life story is so fascinating!! I though the author did a great job telling the story in a balanced way: Matilda was unfairly lambasted by historians for too long, but she wasn't perfect. That's what makes her so interesting. The fact that Empress Matilda's daughter-in-law was Eleanor of Aquitaine adds an additional layer into the story of her life. The treatment Matilda received from her contemporaries is unfortunately too recognizable, and the suffering that her and Stephen's Anarchy inflicted on the people of the England and Normandy was hard to hear, but this woman has echoed through history and this is an excellent means by which to have her story told.
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- Matt
- 10-24-22
Good story telling, flawed thesis
The author presents a nice narrative of the anarchy, the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. However the author's entire thesis, that Empress Matilda was a shining light of medieval leadership and only her gender kept her from becoming Queen, or "female king" as she refers to the title is a problem.
Based on the author's argument you would think no crown was ever "stolen", no kingdom contested, no barons rebelled, and London never gave any ruler of England a hard time. In fact there are countless contemporary examples. The author is aghast that Matilda had the better claim and yet some Barons supported Stephen when her own father, King Henry I, "stole" the crown from his older brother, Robert - who, of course, had a stronger claim.
The claim that the Londoners rejected her based solely off gender is silly as it is mentioned several times that London was loyal to Stephen, if for no other reason that Stephen and his brother controlled access to the main shipping harbor in France. The author massively underestimates self preservation as a motivation. The same reason that opposition barons wee hesitant to switch sides when Matilda was in a strong position.
The author goes on to complain about unfair treatment in hostile chronicles, while uncritically embracing the favorable chronicles. She is distraught at the fact that Matilda is promised to marry Geoffrey of Aquitaine because he is merely a count's son and is ten years younger; yet, no complaints when Matilda is set to wed the future Emperor Henry who was much older than she was.
In the end the author concludes that Matilda did not rule England simply because she was a woman. No doubt there were more strict gender roles and it certainly might have played a role, perhaps even a significant role, in the outcome but the absurd and simplistic conclusion that every problem Matilda encountered came down to gender is truly head scratching.
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2 people found this helpful
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- AndreaRomance
- 08-30-23
A new view of Empress Matilda
This well-written and well-narrated audiobook provides a fresh perspective on Matilda. Long derided for her failures as a prospective queen of England, this book shows how her greatest disadvantage was the inability of the men of her time to envision a queen regnant. The qualities she portrayed, which would have been praised in a king or a queen consort, were criticized in her as arrogance. Yet her efforts on behalf of her son, Henry II, changed English history forever.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-28-23
It’s perfect
The way in which the story flows, the narrator’voice and the careful investigation made for this book makes it a must listen!
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- Helen Burros
- 04-03-24
Good attention to fine details that illuminate Matilda’s actions.
Good reading pace and volume, attention to proper pronunciation to avoid confusion on place names, excellent book to listen to while doing needlework.
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- Laura
- 08-16-19
a wonderful way to learn about a great woman
Matilda wasn't mentioned in high school history class. I'm interested in the history of Great Britain. This is my first biography normally one to lesson to novels. I learned a lot about a great woman who I now feel more women and girls of today should know about. this book has now made want to find more biographies on female Noble women of that time. I highly recommend this book.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 02-07-22
Excellent history of one of the most pivotal women
Excellent history of one of the most pivotal women in history. While I think the book extremely well researched and carries its argument well, it obviously fills any and all holes and cracks in its narrative with assumptive statements of only the best of the titular figure and only the worse of all male contemporaries.
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1 person found this helpful