The Formidable Women who Shaped Medieval Europe Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court by Susan Abernethy

 

I didn’t finish this book, I am afraid, because it was more of a reference book than a book to read for pleasure, I thought. However, it was amazing to see how much power royal women had in the medieval era. They ran kingdoms, acted as regents, conducted diplomacy, negotiated on behalf of their husbanda and their families and founded institutions, such as hospitals and convents. Many were also great patrons of the arts.

The research is excellent, and there are some fascinating women here, but the writing is a bit dry. I also found the book somewhat confusing, because there are so many characters. As some other reviewers have pointed out, there is a lot of information about men, considering that this is a book about women, but that may have been necessary as background detail.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.