Review: Royal Mysteries: The Medieval Period by Timothy Venning

Synopsis: Royal murder mysteries never fail to intrigue readers and TV viewers. Here are some of the most haunting and even horrific episodes from the middle ages, based on latest historical research and historiography, and authentic and rare sources, including archaeology and DNA evidence, uncovering wonderful tales of pathos, tragedy, suffering and romance. This is history for specialists and general readers - and sceptics - given the intense media coverage, including TV, and interest in exciting and accessible popular history. The famous and also less well-known mysteries, which may be new to readers, surrounding British Royalty, are included from around the 11th to the 15th centuries.

The murder mysteries show personal and individual tragedy but are also a vehicle for historical analysis. William II - William Rufus - was he murdered or killed accidentally by a 'stray arrow', allowing brother Henry to seize the throne, or was it God's punishment for William's irreligious living and persecution of the church? Or was Edward II murdered at the instigation of Queen Isabella - 'she-wolf of France' - and her lover, Roger Mortimer. who assumed the throne? Did he survive to live peaceably in Italy? Richard II resembled Edward II, as a rather inadequate figure, and was deposed by his rival, Henry IV. Did he die, and if so, was it murder or suicide? Was Edward IV a bigamist? Mystery, if not murder, but wrapped in dynastic rivalry and sex scandal, and usurpation of the throne. The 'Princes in the Tower' and who who killed them if anyone? A beguiling mystery for over 500 years with their usurping uncle Richard III's guilt contested by 'Ricardians'.

I was eager to read this one as I have a number of Tim's books already on my library shelf - and who doesn't love a good mystery. 

The mysteries being explored were not unknown to me - in fact I explored one of these mysteries myself in greater depth (death of William II) and the controversy surrounding the "Princes" still captures my imagination even today, after much reading on the matter.

Venning takes each mystery, provides some historical background and context, examines the contemporary accounts, looks at all the players before asking the age old question - cui bono? Who stands, or stood, to gain, and so might have been responsible for it or precipitated the actions of a third party?

Venning directs the readers attention to the existence of "fake news" in medieval times wherein the writer or chronicler is playing to their own agenda and contemporary audience, and as such must be viewed as a potential unreliable source.  In fact, as the reader and student of history will know, no source is completely without bias - just because it was written at the time does not necessarily mean it is the most accurate account.  Venning even comments that history is but "... a hall of mirrors with distorted reflections .."

Moving on to the mysteries themselves and what we have learned.  Well not much really.  I was rather disappointed to find that there was no real conclusion one way or the other - no definitive proofs. Venning does not take any particular stance - he explores all aspects of each mystery and just presents us with all the information, evidence and accounts, and leaves it up to the reader to discern what they will from it.

Whilst I will assume (whether rightly or wrongly) that this book is for the consumption of popularist history, I did find the narrative to be rather long-winded, repetitive, and definitely non-linear. I would suggest some fore-knowledge of the subject matter at hand would be appropriate. Overall, I liked it and would probably pick this up again - at a later date.

Also By Author:

- Royal Mysteries: The Anglo-Saxons and Early Britain
- The King Arthur Mysteries: Arthur's Britain and Early Medieval World

Review: The Two Isabellas of King John by Kristen McQuinn

Synopsis: King John of England was married to two women: Isabella of Gloucester and Isabelle of Angouleme. The two women were central to shaping John and his reign, each in her own way molding the king and each other over their lives. Little is known about Isabella of Gloucester and she has largely become an historical footnote; Isabelle of Angouleme has a reputation as a witch and poisoner. However, both were products of their time, victims and pawns of the powerful men whose voices overwrote the experiences of women. By examining these two very different women through a modern feminist lens, The Two Isabellas offers new insight into one of England's lesser-known queens and a different interpretation of one of its least popular kings.

In The Two Isabellas of King John, Kristen McQuinn offers new and intriguing insights into two of England's important yet little understood queen-consorts, the wives of King John. Taking a feminist light, McQuinn brightly shines it on both England's least well-known consort, Isabella of Gloucester, his first wife, and one of its least popular, Isabelle of Angouleme, his child bride.

Firstly I am troubled by the use of phrases such as "feminist light" and "feminist lens" - quite frankly what does this mean. I grew up in the era where "women's lib" and "feminism" were concepts and movements that touched on every area of a woman's experiences — politics, work, family, equality and sexuality. These hard won victories are currently being enjoyed by latter generations, so to bandy such phrases about today, puts me a little on edge. Don't get me wrong, I am all for looking at historical characters and events in a new light, but why does the work of a female author looking at a female character need to be labelled "feminist". And what is a "modern feminist lens" - how is it different from the views of the numerous female authors who blazed a trail beforehand.

Secondly, I really take umbrage at the following phrase: " ... offers new insight into one of England's lesser-known queens and a different interpretation of one of its least popular kings .." Quite frankly what does this actually mean - what new insight because - for me - there was no new insight, no shining light on two lesser known queens, no new interpretation on the view of John's reign.  Lately the number of history books using the phrases "new information" and "new insights" that have actually delivered on this I could count on one hand (excluding my thumb).

And so, sixty-five pages down, there was nothing remotely resembling anything close to a biography or life story for either women - just a lot of "academic" twaddle, assumptions and educated guesses with the occasional mention of either or both. A lot of "concepts" being explored but not a lot substance on either woman so far. In fact, I was ready to chuck the whole thing in there and then. But I persevered through dry and boring monotone, page after page, on the role of women, queens and mothers, childhood and childbirth, fashion, trade, architecture and education, with little to endear this reader and nothing this reader had not discovered in other tomes previously written, many of which stand as the pre-eminent works not only of their own times but even now.

A couple of phrases I did pick up on - but again I have said them so often myself - is that the lives of medieval women - regardless of social status - was typically viewed through the agency of the men in their lives - their fathers and other male kin, their husbands, and finally their sons. McQuinn does acknowledge that "... the roles of women, even queens, most often fell with the private family-orientated realm, and thus outside the purview of most chroniclers .."  Hence, with very little information on either woman to use and turn into a singular biography, we are left looking at both their lives in relation to their marriage to the same man - King John of England. Darren Baker in his work "The Two Eleanors of Henry III" (read my review here) presented something similar and managed to pull it off slightly better than McQuinn has done.

The only time we really get a sense of the presence of either woman is from about page 80 to about 120 - a mere forty pages - the bulk of which is dedicated to Isabella of Angouleme, John's second wife - his first wife, Isabella of Gloucester hardly features at all. And here, the same information can be found in any number of tomes already published on both John and the era in question.

And yet, again, accordingly to the blurb: "The two women were central to shaping John and his reign, each in her own way molding the king and each other over their lives." I am sorry, but I must have been reading a completely different book. Based upon the fact the McQuinn constantly tells us that there is a distinct lack of knowledge on either woman, that they themselves left no personal accounts, and that contemporary accounts show neither woman in a positive light, how can one make the sweeping statement that they were "central to shaping John and his reign".  In fact, the underlying message I got from all of this was the laying of blame for John's behaviour firmly at the feet of both women, which is more in line with a misogynist viewpoint than a feminist one. 

Overall, I came away from this less than impressed.  I skimmed through the final chapter (on the portrayal of both in fiction) and headed straight for the sources - no surprises there for me - and some of those listed I found myself questioning the usage of but that's just my humble opinion.

For me, this was just another in a long line of tomes being churned out by this publisher that all promise the same thing - and funnily enough, deliver it - and that thing being delivered is not much at all.  Would I recommend this - no I wouldn't - not for the generalist reader nor the specialist reader.

I can hear the tut-tutting already. Am I being too harsh, surely there were some redeeming features.  Well, the only redeeming feature is that the author is to be applauded for taking on this task in the first place.  I do know how hard it is to craft a decent tome around a subject matter where there is little or no information - but please don't provide me with something that you can't deliver on.  If there is nothing on your chosen subject - acknowledge and move on!  I personally would much prefer a smaller volume than pages of padding.

Review: The Legitimacy of Bastards by Helen Matthews

"The Legitimacy of Bastards" is the first book to consider the individuals who had illegitimate children, the ways in which they provided for them and attitudes towards both the parents and the bastard children. It also highlights important differences between the views of illegitimacy taken by the Church and by the English law.

Heads up - this work does not deal with royal bastards if that is what you are looking for - the main focus is on the legalities of bastards among the aristocratic and gentry, with a heavy focus on inheritance and social standing.

Matthews' book is broken down into manageable chapters dealing with the legal complexities defining what constitutes (or not) marriage under both canon and common law, which in itself then sets up the definition and status of those born out of wedlock.

After providing a case study of the de Warenne family to put things into context, we proceed to what is defined as sexual misconduct - adultery, adulterers, society's view of them and their offspring, but more importantly, how the child was viewed within the context of the family. The next chapters cover inheritance, social status and opportunity. Finally, we are told, the shift in attitude towards bastards developed in the fifteenth century as pedigree and genealogy became more and more important, and sometimes these by-blows were simply written out of the family tree. And with the heralding of religious change and the rise of puritanism in the sixteenth century, attitudes again changed.

Matthews cites many examples in her book - but don't worry if you start to lose track of them all as she provides the readers with a concise list at the end, neatly cross-referenced with the chapter in which they are discussed. Having extensively read myself, a fair number of names were familiar - but it never occurred to me to delve deeper into both the social and legal complexities of bastardy in the medieval period. Most of what we know of bastards in this period tends to be attached to our reading and study of royalty, whose attitudes to bastards was very different to those on society's lower rungs.

This is a well researched tome - the mind boggles at the number of resources consulted, and this reader in particular is glad that the leg-work has already been done. I can see this as a valuable resource in itself for those interested in medieval family and law; but also for those who dabbled in historical fiction, you may also want to add this to your reference shelf, as it will certainly aid in adding a touch of realism and authenticity to some storylines.  I still have this book sitting on my desk as I type as I am not quite ready to consign it to the book shelves just yet.

Review: Forgotten Royal Women by Erin Lawless

For me - nothing new. I have read extensively on this subject matter and have come across all those mentioned - so an hour later I was finished.

However - for someone just dipping their toe, this will make the perfect starting point. The women featured are not the "big ticket names" one would readily associate with this topic - which makes a refreshing change. The stories are your typical vignettes and aren't mean to be anything more, which enabled author Erin Lawless to cover quite a number of women associated with the thrones of England, Scotland and Wales - no Ireland ..... maybe that's in the next edition.

Overall, the content was spot on; the style was easy and not overly bogged down with facts and figures, which can sometimes be off-putting for someone just starting out; and most of the major career / life high (and low) points were covered.

As I said, recommended as a starting point. And as to no bibliography - well, just what do you include or exclude. Go out in search of these women and their counterparts - explore all available resources and don't be limited to one authors' sources!