Shortly before the union of the crowns, the financing of the India fleets and the operation of the royal spice monopoly had become too much for the Crown to manage...
The Blurb
Catherine of Braganza has regularly been referred to as ‘the forgotten queen’ and there is much truth in this statement. Following her death in 1705, a fully detailed biography in English remained unwritten until 1915. The last major bio published about her was in Portuguese in 1941 and it has never been translated into English. Despite her sheltered and religious upbringing, she made a spectacular marriage that was plagued by the infidelities of her husbands. Readers can readily find published biographies of Charles II’s many glamourous mistresses, but curiously, little on his wife.
This new work presents more comprehensive information on Catherine’s life in Portugal than previous biographies and integrates new scholarship regarding Catherine’s practice of queenship and patronage of Catholic Baroque culture in an effort to carve out a prominent role at the Stuart court and to compete with her rivals. Readers familiar with Catherine’s story may learn some delightful new details about her life. Catherine has never been forgotten in Portugal. She considered herself Portuguese at heart and during her reign as Queen of England, she persistently looked out for Portuguese interests. In her own words, she considered her marriage a personal sacrifice to what was best for her home country. She is one of the few dowager queens in history to return to her homeland where she acted as regent for her brother.
This biography places Catherine within the context of the history of Portugal and their seaborne empire, and the strong political and commercial ties between England and Portugal dating to the mid-fourteenth century which played a key role in the culmination of the Marriage Treaty of 1661. Her legacy lives on in her dowry, specifically the port of Bombay which allowed England to become a global empire, introducing many everyday items into European culture.
My Review
History is full of the stories of kings and other great men. But what about the queens who served alongside them? In this book, the author, Susan Abernethy, brings to the fore the life and legacy of Catherine of Braganza.
Catherine was the wife of Charles II, a little-known queen who I am pleased to have learned more about in this informative book. She may be the 'forgotten queen' here in the UK, but in her homeland of Portugal, her legacy lives on to this day. In addition, she had a significant influence on English culture.
In this book, Catherine's story is sandwiched between the history of the time before and after her death. The author portrays the political upheaval of the period before Catherine's arrival as the bride of Charles II. Indeed, it demonstrates why the British looked to Portugal to provide a queen for the king, and this has clearly been extensively researched.
My heart went out to Catherine on many occasions. Not only was she parted from her family in Portugal and all that was familiar to her, sent to a country where she neither spoke the language nor understood the English culture, but she also had to contend with a string of mistresses that her husband, the king, openly flaunted before her and society.
The author provides the reader with glimpses into the primary sources with the inclusion of letters and contemporary accounts, all of which blend together to provide this excellent narrative of Catherine's life.
The author has done a great job in celebrating Catherine's life in this book. She has elevated a little-known, female historical figure, bringing her to the fore in this excellent book.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1036121648
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Formats: Hardback
No. of Pages: 248
Purchase Links
About the Author
Susan Abernethy has a degree in history and is a member of the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association, the Society for Renaissance Studies, the Historical Writers Association and The Historical Association. Her blog, The Freelance History Writer has been continuously publishing historical articles since 2012, with an emphasis on European, Tudor, medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern and Women’s history.
Susan's latest book, The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe is due to be published on 30th November and is available for pre-ordered here.
You can also find Susan at:
(ARC and media courtesy of the author)
(all opinions are my own)
(Bookshop.org affiliated)
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