Charles II's Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza by Susan Abernethy - #bookreview

 

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

Bookshop.org

Pen & Sword Books

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Blackwell's

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:

Author Website

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Bluesky

Catherine of Braganza

King Charles II

(ARC and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org  affiliated)

Ines by Catherine Mathis - #excerpt #extract #blogtour

I am delighted to be bringing you an excerpt of this book today. 

Ines by Catherine Mathis is the first book in the Queens of Portugal trilogy and looks fabulous.

The Blurb

An heir to the throne, a gorgeous blonde lady-in-waiting, the king's trusted advisor. When a father and son don't understand each other, the son pays an outrageous price.

Love, jealousy, loyalty, and revenge roil the court of 14th century Portugal.

In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Catherine Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal's real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro's father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonçalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile's royal convulsions though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians.

The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonçalves, the king's powerful, unquestioned counselor who is mentor to the son. Both Gonçalves and Pedro seek the attention of Inês.

There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Inês. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Inês?

Inês is based on real people and events, exploring a cultural touchstone of Portuguese history.

The Excerpt

The Death of King Dinis

Chão da Feira Palace, Santarém 6th and 7th of January 1325

Despite Afonso’s anxious wish to get to the palace, a throng forced them to a slow walk as they exited the castelo’s grounds to make for the other side of town, lest they overrun a child or animal in the crowded street. The large horses nearly filled the narrow road and caused people to back up against walls or step into alleys. Afonso and Gonçalves approached the square with the Monestario de Sao Francis coat the northeastern end and the Chão da Feira Palace on the eastern side of the square. They passed the facade of the palace to enter a courtyard gate. The Infante Afonso and his men dropped to the ground from their snorting coursers; the spurs on their boots made a sharp clanging sound as they hit the stones. They stretched weary limbs and took a few steps toward the doorway.

“Come to seek a final blessing from our father?” taunted. His laughter echoed off the stone walls of the palace’s inner ward. Sancho and João emerged from the shadows of the royal apartment’s portal into the light of torches as the setting sun cast dim winter light into the courtyard. A casual swagger suggested confidence.

Gonçalves bumped into Afonso, who turned and whispered with widened eyes, “We are too late.”

“Give not the two bastards the satisfaction of your unease,” Gonçalves whispered in return. When Afonso spoke, Gonçalves realized his advice had fallen on deaf ears.“

Has he passed? Have you played the part of Jacob? Why are you not in Albuquerque?” the Infante Afonso snapped as his eyes narrowed.

Gonçalves feared Afonso would either grab or punch Sancho. He noticed servants had paused and were taking in the scene. A fight among royal brothers as the king lay dying would not be seemly. The king cannot be dead, he reasoned, or an armed escort would greet them.

“Come,” Gonçalves said, attempting to calm the infante’s blaze of anger. “Ignore these surly whoresons. Let us go to the king’s bedchamber.”

January’s cloudy day and icy winds had left the newly arrived men chilled to the bone. Last night’s poor sleep on hard ground diminished the men’s temperament. Urgency drove them here, and now they would learn their destiny.

Afonso’s gaping mouth and labored breath betrayed his shock at seeing his half-brothers looking for all the world as though they owned Santarém. Gonçalves’s message and warning had not adequately prepared the infante for the situation. Sancho’s strutting, evidenced confidence, and belied his status as a man exiled from Portugal. João, nine years older than Sancho, played the sycophant to the younger man.

With Gonçalves in tow, Afonso brushed roughly past Sancho and João to step inside the portal. Of the two remaining men-at-arms, one stayed to deal with the horses while the other followed Afonso and Gonçalves into the staircase. Sniffing the piquant air on entering the stairs to the royal apartments, Gonçalves’s nose wrinkled, and his mouth involuntarily watered. The aroma of cloves, roasted meat, and chestnuts enveloped them and set their stomachs growling. Gonçalves shut his eyes briefly to breathe in deeply the rich scents boding well for a good meal, a mug of wine, and a warm fire.

“Come,” Afonso commanded, jerking him out of his moment of anticipation. Afonso had raced up a dozen steps before pausing mid-step and turning back to seek them. They climbed the steps two at a time to catch up. They strode down the hall and turned left into an antechamber filled with men. The man-at-arms paused in the passageway to wait, as it was not his lot to enter the king’s solar. Conversation ceased as Afonso erupted into the room; he moved swiftly across the space to enter his father’s bedchamber. Afonso neither looked at nor spoke to anyone as he passed through the room.

The king was hardly visible under a mound of coverlets. The pungent air shrouded their heads, stale and smelling of the gas a body passed as death neared. While Gonçalves paused a few feet from the foot of the bed, Afonso moved to stand next to his mother, Queen Isabella.

Afonso gazed down at his father’s waxen features. The shallow rising and falling of the king’s chest told Gonçalves the king was yet alive. Gonçalves saw the breath go out of Afonso as his shoulders relaxed. For a moment, Gonçalves was lightheaded with relief. He glanced around the king’s private bedchamber. The queen was the only woman present. While the outer room teemed with courtiers of various levels of importance, the bedchamber held half a dozen men of the highest rank. The bishop and chanceler stood by the side of the bed opposite the queen. The other four men huddled by the fire ceased their whispered conversation upon Afonso’s entrance.

“My Lady, I came as soon as I heard,” Afonso said, turning to his mother. “He looks so pale. Have you spoken with him today?”

“Your father has slept this day,” Queen Isabella sighed without looking at Afonso.

The bishop cleared his throat, drawing their eyes to him. The bishop spoke, “Welcome Dom Afonso. Your safe arrival is a blessing. King Dinis woke briefly yesterday to make a final confession, receive the host, and hear last rites. He did on the last day of the year just past make his fourth Will and Testament. He is shriven and in all manner prepared to meet his Lord in Heaven. Your brother Sancho spoke privately with him but yesterday.” With a touch of malice, he offered, “Mayhap Sancho will have some word to share of what passed twixt them." 

Gonçalves made a mental note to find some way to repay so cruel a comment. All knew the ill blood between Afonso and Sancho. For Afonso to learn that the king, in his dying moments, had spoken with Sancho and  not Afonso was a tonic of bitter wormwood. Now Gonçalves prayed theold king would wake and speak yet one more time with his final words to Afonso.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1592116027

Publisher:  Histria Fiction

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  360 (paperback)

Series:  Book 1 in the Queens of Portugal trilogy

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Catherine Mathis was born in Berlin, the daughter of an American spy. As she grew up in Washington, D.C., her spy father turned into a drug enforcement agent. His career change wrecked any chance at high school popularity. She graduated from Sewanee | The University of the South with a degree in history focused on the medieval period. After a career in finance, she returned to her first love of medieval history to ‘Share Iberian Tales.’ Outside of writing, spare time joys are family, friends, reading, collecting folk/outsider art, and travel.

You can also find Catherine at:

Author Website

Facebook

Instagram

Bluesky

(media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

Holiday& Charles II's Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza by Susan Abernethy

I am going to be taking a short break from the blog while I head up to sunny (I hope) Berkshire to look after my son's dog, Floki, while he and his family take a well earned break somewhere with some guaranteed sunshine. Floki is a gorgeous English Springer Spaniel. Our own dog, Roxie, who is a young bundle of energy, will be very excited to have Floki to play with.

Obviously, I'm debating which books to take with me. This book, Charles's II's Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza by Susan Abernethy is top of my list as I've been wanting to read it for ages. I can't wait to get stuck into it. Keep your eyes peeled for my review that will be coming once I get home.

I guess I really should get to that packing. So far, all I've packed is my knitting, a book and some dog treats. I think that speaks volumes about my priorities. Clothing and other essentials are very overrated in my opinion!

This is how sleepy Floki usually looks after about half an hour with my energetic Roxie.

My crazy bundle of energy who I adore!