Four Queens, The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe

In Four Queens, The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe, Nancy Goldstone tells the story of four girls that, though not of humble birth, were by no means royalty. Somehow the parents and uncles of these young ladies were able to finagle either royal marriages or marriages that led to royalty.

One daughter was married to the king of France, and one to the king of England. The third daughter was married to the brother of the king of England, who ended up buying the votes necessary to secure the kingship of Germany, which then garnered him the title King of the Romans. The last daughter married the brother of the French king, whose ambition gained him the crown of Sicily.

Goldstone writes with a captivating voice that carries you through this story as if you were carrying on a conversation with her. This novel is at times wildly entertaining, yet Goldstone is able to relate the story with enough sobriety to snap you back to the reality of the many tumultuous events that surrounded these women. We are reminded that these were real people who suffered from the human condition of facing and overcoming or succumbing to the same obstacles that we still face today. If I had to rate this book, I’d give it four thumbs up. One for each queen!