Blood, Fire  Gold, Estelle Paranque
Blood, Fire  Gold, Estelle Paranque
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Blood, Fire & Gold
The Story of Elizabeth I & Catherine de Medici

Author: Estelle Paranque

Narrator: Anna Wilson-Jones

Unabridged: 10 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/06/2022


Synopsis

A beautifully thorough examination into the complicated relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe who shaped each other as well as the course of history.

Sixteenth-century Europe was a hostile world dominated by court politics and patriarchal structures–and yet against all odds, two women rose to power: Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici. Much has been written about these shrewd and strategic sovereigns, but though their l legacies have been heavily scrutinized, nothing has been said of their complicated relationship—thirty years of camaraderie, competition, and conflict that forever changed the face of Europe.

In Blood, Fire, and Gold, historian Estelle Paranque offers a new way of looking at two of history's most powerful women: through the eyes of the other. Whether engaged in bloody battles or peaceful accords, Elizabeth and Catherine admired the force and resilience of the other, while never forgetting that they were, first and foremost, each other's true rival.

This is a story of  love and rivalry, of war and wisdom, and—above all else—of the courage and sacrifice it takes to secure and sustain power as a woman in a male-dominated world.

**SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, "10 BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2022"** 

**HISTORY TODAY, "BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2022)"**

Reviews

Goodreads review by Gareth

An innovative and exciting way of studying the past from a brilliant historian. Blood, Fire and Gold shines a new light onto the diplomatic tensions between sixteenth-century England and France, as well as the Wars of Religion, espionage, court intrigue, and the games of power. At its heart are the......more

Goodreads review by Emily

Blood, Fire and Gold is a must-read for anyone interested in not only Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, but anyone interested in studies of female power more generally! Paranque's writing style is pitch-perfect for her subject matter. She deals with wars, on global and personal scales, as well as......more

Goodreads review by Owen

BLOOD, FIRE & GOLD is a breathtaking study of the competitive and conflictive relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Catherine de Medici. Estelle Paranque’s fresh and compelling narrative approach is the perfect style in which to convey this extraordinary story of the rivalry, intrigue and......more

This book was undoubtedly fascinating and enlightening. However, I didn’t like the liberties the author took when recounting conversations from 400 years ago.......more