Eleanor of Castile: Queen and Society in Thirteenth Century England by John Carmi Parsons: A Book Review
Author: John Carmi Parsons
Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Book Release Date: 1998
Pages: 388
Source: Personal Collection
Synopsis: Medievalist feminist studies' early concentration on the lives of prominent women has more recently given way to an interest in their less exalted sisters. Historians have seemingly avoided the careers of medieval queens, creatures of romance and legend, women who enjoyed rank and wealth merely as a consequence of birth or marriage. A renewed interest in such women has, however, followed the opening of new avenues to the study of women and power in the Middle Ages. That the lives of these women will reward reconsideration has been amply proven in the works of such historians as Pauline Stafford and Janet Nelson. Eleanor of Castile studies the wife of Edward I of England, a woman eulogized since the sixteenth century as a model of virtuous womanhood and queenly excellence, who overcame the impediment of her foreign birth to win all English hearts. This book shows that Eleanor's contemporaries in fact had a disquietingly different opinion of her, and develops as a central theme the formation of that opinion as her behaviour was observed by her subjects. The book thus becomes a study in the construction of one woman's imagery of power and her society's perception of that imagery. The evolution of the queen's posthumous legend is considered as well, as her reputation was fashioned and refashioned in response to changing opinions on women and power and about the medieval period itself.
My Review: Queen Eleanor of Castile was King Edward I of England’s first queen. She is famous for the Eleanor Crosses which were commemorated in her honor. Since the sixteenth century, Eleanor of Castile has been viewed as a virtuous queen. However, this biography shows that Queen Eleanor of Castile was a complex woman who needed to be reevaluated.
Eleanor of Castile was the great-great-granddaughter of King Henry II and Eleanor of Castile. Her great-grandparents were Queen Eleanor of England and Alfonso XIII. Her grandparents were Queen regnant Berenguela of Castile and Alfonso IX of Leon. Her parents were King Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon and his second queen Joan. Eleanor married King Edward I. She went with him on his military campaign in Wales and the Ninth Crusade, where they traveled to Sicily and Acre. She bore Edward II sixteen children, though six survived to adulthood. One of her sons was King Edward II of England. She collected a lot of estates and died at the age of forty-eight.
This biography shows that Eleanor of Castile was a shrewd queen. She often exercised her power with her husband’s permission. Some feared the influence that Eleanor of Castile had on King Edward I. Queen Eleanor of Castile was also not afraid of getting revenge and punishing those who displeased her. This biography shows that Queen Eleanor of Castile is different from the image of a virtuous and compliant queen.
Overall, this was a comprehensive biography. It painted an accurate portrait of the true Eleanor of Castile. However, I found the biography to be extremely dry and repetitive. It was a chore to read, and I often thought it would be more entertaining to watch the paint dry. The reason why this was a boring book is because there is not a lot of information known about Queen Eleanor of Castile to warrant an actual book. Instead, I think it would have been more fascinating if it was an article instead. It is obvious that this biography is drawn-out. Nevertheless, this biography shows that Queen Eleanor of Castile’s image needed to be reevaluated. I recommend this book for fans of royalty. I also recommend this book for fans of The Queen’s Hand, Matilda II, and Eleanor of Aquitaine!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Comments
Post a Comment