Overview

"A beautifully thorough examination into the complicated relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe who shaped each other as well as the course of history. Sixteenth-century Europe was a hostile world dominated by court politics and patriarchal structures-and yet against all odds, two women rose to power: Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici. Much has been written about these shrewd and strategic sovereigns, but though their l legacies have been heavily scrutinized, nothing has been said of their complicated relationship--thirty years of camaraderie, competition, and conflict that forever changed the face of Europe. In Blood, Fire, and Gold, historian Estelle Paranque offers a new way of looking at two of history's most powerful women: through the eyes of the other. Whether engaged in bloody battles or peaceful accords, Elizabeth and Catherine admired the force and resilience of the other, while never forgetting that they were, first and foremost, each other's true rival. This is a story of love and rivalry, of war and wisdom, and--above all else--of the courage and sacrifice it takes to secure and sustain power as a woman in a male-dominated world. **SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, ""10 BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2022""** **HISTORY TODAY, ""BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2022)""**"

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9780306830518

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**SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, 10 BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2022 ** **HISTORY TODAY, BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2022) ** **AMAZON, EDITORS' PICK FOR BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF THE MONTH (December 2022)** **TIMES, BOOK OF THE WEEK ** [This book] deliver[s] fascinating insights... a pacy narrative of two stormy lives. --History Today (UK) Paranque deftly shows how their experiences shaped the women rulers' relationships with their subjects, advisers and each other. --Smithsonian Magazine Paranque's vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of the political and religious stakes involved result in a certifiable historical page-turner. --Publishers Weekly Drawing on new research and private correspondence, Paranque paints a vivid picture of two formidable women whose rivalry motivated their respective choices and accomplishments. --Booklist [A] solid diplomatic history. --Kirkus A story told with verve and passion... a marvelous story of a relationship between two powerful women in an age when females were believed to be unsuited to the exercise of government. --The Times (UK) An alternative and engaging biography of the great Tudor Queen --The Telegraph (UK)

The Times, Book of the Week (UK) A story told with verve and passion... a marvelous story of a relationship between two powerful women in an age when females were believed to be unsuited to the exercise of government. --The Times (UK) An alternative and engaging biography of the great Tudor Queen --The Telegraph (UK)

Author Information

DR. ESTELLE PARANQUE is an Assistant Professor in History at NCH at Northeastern (London campus). She has been featured in several international historical television documentaries, including The Boleyns: A ScandalousFamily and Secrets d'Histoire, as well as the history podcasts like HistoryHit, Not Just the Tudors, and Talking Tudors. She is also the author of Elizabeth I of England Through Valois Eyes.

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