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    Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior
    Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior
    Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior
    Audiobook12 hours

    Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior

    Written by Catherine Hanley

    Narrated by Jennifer M. Dixon

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 23, 2019
    ISBN9781977349149
    Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior
    Author

    Catherine Hanley

    Catherine Hanley has a PhD in Medieval Studies, specialising in 12th- and 13th-century warfare. She has written five books of popular history including Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior (2019) and Two Houses, Two Kingdoms: A History of France and England, 1100-1300 (July 2022), both for Yale University Press. Matilda was reviewed very positively in, among others, the Guardian and was named by both the Financial Times and BBC History Magazine as one of their 'Best Books of 2019'.

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    Reviews for Matilda

    4.5/5

    30 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      What an amazing book. Bravo to the author.. it really makes you travel in time.
    • 4/5
      Generally speaking, when I pick up a book outside of my staple choices (science fiction & fantasy, military history, etc.), it's because, at some point, I had a question. In this case, the question was how do you go from the Norman rulers of England, to the Plantagenet monarchs, not that I expected this book to necessarily answer that question, but because Matilda seemed like an interesting personage. Well, by the time I was done, I now have the sense that the history I was exposed to back in the day (we're talking 1970s here), just glossed over this woman as being something of an embarrassment. And there was nothing to be embarrassed about; betrothed to the German Emperor at 8, regent of Imperial holdings in Italy at 16, polished diplomat and executive in her 20s, ruthless defender of her rights until she fought her opposition to a draw, the ancestor of every English/British monarch down to the current day, and arguably, the first exemplar of a national female executive in the Western world. Even if you want to accuse Hanley of putting the best spin possible on Matilda, one can't help but be impressed. If you want to argue that the best stories can't be made up, this book is your proof. The only reason I don't give Hanley five stars is because, for all I know, I'd be more impressed with some of the more canonical books on Matilda that she's glossing for a general audience.