Sister Queens, Julia Fox
Sister Queens, Julia Fox
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Sister Queens
The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile

Author: Julia Fox

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Unabridged: 14 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/31/2012


Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn. Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years. But historian Julia Fox, whose previous work painted an unprecedented portrait of Jane Boleyn, Anne’s sister, offers deeper insight in this first dual biography of Katherine and Juana, the daughters of Spain’s Ferdinand and Isabella, whose family ties remained strong despite their separation. Looking through the lens of their Spanish origins, Fox reveals these queens as flesh-and-blood women—equipped with character, intelligence, and conviction—who are worthy historical figures in their own right.

When they were young, Juana’s and Katherine’s futures appeared promising. They had secured politically advantageous marriages, but their dreams of love and power quickly dissolved, and the unions for which they’d spent their whole lives preparing were fraught with duplicity and betrayal. Juana, the elder sister, unexpectedly became Spain’s sovereign, but her authority was continually usurped, first by her husband and later by her son. Katherine, a young widow after the death of Prince Arthur of Wales, soon remarried his doting brother Henry and later became a key figure in a drama that altered England’s religious landscape.

Ousted from the positions of power and influence they had been groomed for and separated from their children, Katherine and Juana each turned to their rich and abiding faith and deep personal belief in their family’s dynastic legacy to cope with their enduring hardships. Sister Queens is a gripping tale of love, duty, and sacrifice—a remarkable reflection on the conflict between ambition and loyalty during an age when the greatest sin, it seems, was to have been born a woman.

About The Author

After graduating from the University of London, Julia Fox taught history in both public and private schools for a number of years, specializing in the Tudors and in nineteenth-century Britain and Europe. She also worked as a historical researcher. She currently lives with her husband, the historian John Guy, and their two cats. She is the author of one previous book, Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lolly's Library on March 08, 2016

Poor Queen Juana. Like many others who have had even the slightest interest in European history, I'd bought completely the story of her madness. How she kept her husband's moldering corpse with her at all times, how she periodically opened the casket to kiss it and embrace it. How her jealousy knew......more

Goodreads review by Lois on October 26, 2021

So I read this a few years ago. I liked it well enough but as I'm currently studying the Iberian continent: Al-Andalus, Grenada, Portugal, Castile, Leon, Asturias, Aragon, etc, I decided to brush up on specifics on Juana I. The opening chapter about 1.3% into the ebook I ran into factual errors. I mea......more

Goodreads review by Deborah on October 03, 2016

I won't read anything more by this author. Sadly, this is not good history; she makes far too many inferences that can't be verified and then refers to them later in the text as if they were established fact. She writes very readably but often seems unsure whether she is writing fiction or history (......more

Goodreads review by Amy on May 02, 2012

I received this book as part of the first-reads program from goodreads.This book tells the story of two remarkable women that were sisters who became the queen of England and the queen of Castile.The book covers more of Katherine of Aragon than it does Juana of Castile.Juana of Castile doesn't have......more


Quotes

Praise for Sister Queens

“Julia Fox’s vivid and sympathetic book now shows us [Katherine of Aragon’s] life and marriage in another context, setting it against the even more terrifying story of her elder sister, Juana. . . . As Fox recreates Juana and Katherine’s lives in colorful detail, she manages to draw out the spirit and resilience of two women fearfully abused in a very cruel, very male world.”—The Spectator (UK)
 
“[Fox] offers an absorbing, rich, and fresh view of the entwined royal relationships that helped define the 15th- and 16th-century European political landscape.”—Publishers Weekly

“A talented entrant in royal biography, Fox fairly bids for the popularity historian Alison Weir currently wields.”—Booklist

Praise for Julia Fox’s Jane Boleyn
 
“Fox does a splendid job in conveying life at the top of the Tudor pyramid.”—USA Today
 
“Fox is an English historian [who] imbues her writing with rich detail and confident knowledge. . . . She’s given depth and character to Jane Boleyn.”—The Austin Chronicle
 
“Outstanding . . . a fascinating and moving read.”—Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire and A World on Fire
 
“Julia Fox’s immaculate detective work and vivid storytelling bring to life one woman’s struggle to survive at the apex of a society where success could bring untold riches and a king’s anger could cost you your life.”—Leanda de Lisle, author of The Sisters Who Would Be Queen
 
“Engrossing . . . a sparkling chronicle, fine-tuned to the personal stories that lend texture and emotion to a biography.”—Kirkus Reviews