![]() ![]() The only reason I don't give Hanley five stars is because, for all I know, I'd be more impressed with some of the more canonical books on Matilda that she's glossing for a general audience. Join Dr Catherine Hanley as she takes Matt through the early life of Matilda, her ascension to Empress and her changing position in the succession to the. ![]() If you want to argue that the best stories can't be made up, this book is your proof. Even if you want to accuse Hanley of putting the best spin possible on Matilda, one can't help but be impressed. And there was nothing to be embarrassed about betrothed to the German Emperor at 8, regent of Imperial holdings in Italy at 16, polished diplomat and executive in her 20s, ruthless defender of her rights until she fought her opposition to a draw, the ancestor of every English/British monarch down to the current day, and arguably, the first exemplar of a national female executive in the Western world. Well, by the time I was done, I now have the sense that the history I was exposed to back in the day (we're talking 1970s here), just glossed over this woman as being something of an embarrassment. ![]() In this case, the question was how do you go from the Norman rulers of England, to the Plantagenet monarchs, not that I expected this book to necessarily answer that question, but because Matilda seemed like an interesting personage. ![]() Generally speaking, when I pick up a book outside of my staple choices (science fiction & fantasy, military history, etc.), it's because, at some point, I had a question. ![]()
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