Eleanor the Queen
by Norah Lofts
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Eleanor...young, high-spirited, supremely intelligent, heiress to the vast Duchy of Aquitaine - at a time when a woman's value was measured in terms of wealth. Her vivid leadership inspired and dazzled those about her. And yet, born to rule, she was continually repressed and threatened by the men who overshadowed her life. This is the story of a brilliant, medieval figure - of a princess who led her own knights to the Crusades, who was bride to two kings and mother of Richard the Lionheart. show more It is the rich, incredible story of Eleanor of Aquitaine. show lessTags
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A lovely work of fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard the Lionheart, Eleanor the Queen brings forth the seldom spoken of mother of one of historical fiction's most popular king and knight. It's a quick and simple read, but still worth the attention and shows the world where Richard allegedly gets his headstrong nature and his tumultuous rise to become King of England. I'd almost call in a prequel to any of the Robin Hood legends. Definitely worth a read for those who enjoy the time period/ Robin Hood and want to know more about the events leading up to Prince John attempting to take over the English crown.
Originally published in 1955, Eleanor the Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Norah Lofts is a novel of the life of the woman who was queen of England and France and mother to men of legend. It is a simply written book and made for a pleasant day’s reading. The story surrounding Eleanor of Aquitaine is one that is fantastic and hard to believe that it is based on some historical fact. What Norah Lofts did so well with her character is not only weave this brilliant woman into all the tales surrounding her, but she made Eleanor a strong and intelligent woman in the process. This book did not deal with court intrigue, there were no secret meetings with lovers. Mostly it dealt with Eleanor’s frustrations trying to communicate with show more the men in her life and her difficulty at being taken seriously.
To give you a little idea of who Eleanor of Aquitaine is, as I wasn’t really aware when I picked up the book, she was the married to the King of England and mother to King Richard the Lionheart and this book took place during the 12th century during the time when the crusades were popular. If you are still wondering, she also had a young son named John. Still no clues … think man in green tights … still not getting it … yep … she’s the mother of the King during time of the legend of Robin Hood.
Overall, if you are interested in a simple, quick, and rather easy read about a fascinating character in early British history this is a pretty good book to pick up. show less
To give you a little idea of who Eleanor of Aquitaine is, as I wasn’t really aware when I picked up the book, she was the married to the King of England and mother to King Richard the Lionheart and this book took place during the 12th century during the time when the crusades were popular. If you are still wondering, she also had a young son named John. Still no clues … think man in green tights … still not getting it … yep … she’s the mother of the King during time of the legend of Robin Hood.
Overall, if you are interested in a simple, quick, and rather easy read about a fascinating character in early British history this is a pretty good book to pick up. show less
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Author Information
84+ Works 6,088 Members
Celebrated novelist Norah Lofts perfected the art of bringing the past alive in her works of historical fiction. She remains one of England's most distinguished and best loved women of letters, selling more than a million books and captivating generations of readers. Lofts' first novel, "I Met a Gypsy", won the American Booksellers' Award for show more 1935. In her long and prolific career, she wrote more than 60 books of nonfiction, biography and historical fiction, animating history and yet preserving historical accuracy. In works such as "Scent of Cloves" (1940), "Bless This House" (1954), and "Crown of Aloes" (1979), period detail and language are blended with a masterful storytelling technique. Lofts is also well known for biographical novels about great and fascinating women of history such as Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon. In addition, Lofts has written thrillers under the pseudonym Peter Curtis and novels as Juliet Astley. Norah (Robinson) Lofts was born in Norfolk, England on August 27, 1904. She credited her history-teaching years, 1925 to 1936, for developing a sense of history which became the foundation for her writings. Married and the mother of two sons, she lived in an ancient English city, among medieval ruins, in a 250-year-old house. She died there on September 10, 1983. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1955
- People/Characters
- Eleanor of Aquitaine; Henry II, King of England; Louis VII, King of France
- Important places
- England, UK (as England); France
- Important events
- Reign of Henry II (1154-12-19 | 1189-07-06)
- First words
- Just before the moon rose to full glory over the city of Bordeaux in that June of 1137, a young man who had been moving swiftly and secretively through the deserted streets came to the end of his journey at the foot of a tall... (show all) round tower.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I can do it because all my life, including even my worst failures, has been schooling me for this task. I shall do it well.
- Disambiguation notice
- Originally published as Queen in Waiting; re-published as Eleanor the Queen: The Story of the Most Famous Woman of the Middle Ages; reprinted under original title in 1977.
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, General Fiction, Historical Fiction
- DDC/MDS
- 823.912 — Literature & rhetoric English & Old English literatures English fiction 1900- 1901-1999 1901-1945
- LCC
- PZ3 .L825 .E — Language and Literature Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Fiction in English
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 288
- Popularity
- 111,362
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.43)
- Languages
- Czech, English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 19
- ASINs
- 15
