In Tina Brown’s Oct. 19, 2023 New York Times book review of Finding the Falcon by John Guy and Julia Fox, Brown refers to ANNE BOLEYN‘s years as a maid of honor to Renaissance ruler MARGARET OF AUSTRIA at the Habsburg Court in the Low Countries.
“Compelling and wholly convincing — at once a vividly readable novel and a long-overdue presentation of Europe’s unsung heroine to the broad audience she deserves. This telling of Margaret’s story is captivating on a personal level, and classily comprehensive on sixteenth-century diplomacy.”
– Sarah Gristwood, author of The Tudors in Love and Game of Queens
“Rich in history and filled with enticing drama, a diplomatic tale that celebrates the life of a brilliant European power broker of the early 16th century. Margaret emerges as a charming, savvy, and wily hero, capable of manipulating Europe’s political chessboard.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Gaston’s is a deftly-drawn rendering of this historically significant woman who embraced leadership at a time when women were discouraged from leading.”
–Archduke Géza von Habsburg of Austria, author of Princely Treasures
“With sparkling dialogue and rigorous historical accuracy, Gaston brings Margaret to life, taking us along on her travels, sitting beside her at the negotiation table, and unearthing how she evolved into one of the most important rulers of the Renaissance.”
–Susan Abernethy, The Freelance History Writer, European Women in History
“A captivating novel with rich layers of historical detail, Rozsa Gaston’s Margaret of Austria highlights the tenacity, resilience, and grace of a woman who crafted a unique role for herself in a time of patriarchal dominance, allowing her the freedom, power, and respect that few women in history have known. The drama weaves together Margaret’s part as a political pawn; her years of love forsaken, love found, and love lost; and the turmoil created by her extended royal family. All while capturing the nuanced details and motives that spurred Margaret’s decisions.”
–Jules Larimore, author of The Muse of Freedom: a Cévenoles Sagas novel
My current writing project includes a section on queenship. Because the study of how queens exercised power is a relatively new discipline, it is challenging to define. If we look up the word queenship in the dictionary, the meaning is “the state, office, or dignity of a queen”. The dictionary states the first time the word appears is in 1530-40 but doesn’t cite an actual reference to support this.
In the last several years, much new scholarship has arisen in queenship and the true meaning of the word is not as simple as that given in the dictionary. If we look up the word “kingship”, there is an additional definition saying “kingship” is an “aptitude for kingly duties”. This could be changed to say an “aptitude for queenly duties” and be considered a more apt definition for queenship.
What constitutes queenship? What are some examples of women in history exercising…
Many know the story of Mary, Queen of Scots. While telling the story of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland I was struck by the similarities between her and her granddaughter, Mary. They both had three husbands and had a child named James who became King of Scotland when they were just babies. Both women allowed their private lives to influence their public life contributing to a loss of political credibility. It’s time to revisit all the incredible and memorable adventures of Mary, Queen of Scots.
There are a few things to keep in mind when recounting the story of Mary. The first is Mary started at a young age to consider herself the Queen of England and even had the symbol of England quartered on her coat of arms. Queen Elizabeth I would never forgive her for this affront. Mary felt Henry VIII had made a mistake in naming the…
Anne and Louis joins Sense of Touch and Anne and Charles in the Anne of Brittany Series. Learn from early Renaissance ruler Anne of Brittany the power of self-possession and self-confidence.
Finalists will be announced November 1, 2018. Thank you to Booklife and Publishers Weekly for bringing my story to today’s readers.—Anne, Duchess of Brittany, twice Queen of France
Anne of Brittany, image by Nurycat
Book Two of the Anne of Brittany Series, Anne and Louis is the story of the first years of Anne of Brittan’s marriage to Louis XII, King of France. Cast of characters include Cesare Borgia, Christine de Pizan, Marie de France, Machiavelli and more. Pre-order Anne and Louis here. Out Nov. 29, 2018.
Statue of Anne of Brittany (1477-1514), Nantes, France
Receiving a 10.00 out of 10 in four categories, the story of Anne of Brittany’s marriage to Louis XII, King of France, is Book Two of the Anne of Brittany Series.
To pick the second artist was almost more difficult than the first, because I challenged myself to not only come up with 26 artist but roughly half of them should be modern ones. I don’t actually like modern art that much so this was a lot more difficult than the classic ones. The one I picked is a surrealist called Rene Magritte. Normally I’m not a fan of surrealism because it has a tendency to be quite dark and creepy and mysterious in kinda an attention seeking way but Magritte’s work tends to be lighthearted or at least witty. He even signed a manifesto written by his friends called surrealism in full sunshine.
You probably think you don’t know who this Magritte is but there is a good chance you know one of his most famous works where he painted a pipe and under it it says this is not…
I have been in doubt about which artists too include in my project about sun & art but I finally picked the first one! Alphonse Mucha a Czech artist that got famous for his beuatiful art nouveau designs.
Mucha came from a big family and they struggled to pay for his school fees, but thanks to his talent he eventually got the support of a count who took him under his wings and let him study art in Paris. There he got the support of a famous actress at the time Sarah Bernardt for whom he made many posters to promote her plays.
His style is now synonymous with art nouveau but at the time it was actually known as le style mucha, Mucha’s style because it was so individual. Mucha did a lot of commercial work when he lived in Paris, in particular the 1890’s, but the public got…
Oct. 1, 2018
Anne of Brittany, image by Nurycat 
Statue of Anne of Brittany (1477-1514), Nantes, France 
Statue of Anne of Brittany (1477-1514), Nantes, France 
Fine Wines Fine Quotes 