BLOOD, FIRE, & GOLD

A dual biography of two legendary women of the 16th century.

That Elizabeth ruled England from 1558 to 1603 is well known, but readers may need reminding that Catherine de Medici, the Italian-born wife of one French king and mother of three others, was a dominant figure during the reigns of her children from 1559 until her death in 1589. History professor Paranque emphasizes that the two had much in common, including their endurance of oppressive early years. Marginalized by her father, Henry VIII, due to his obsession with obtaining a male heir, Elizabeth feared for her life during the reign of her predecessor, Mary, who did not hesitate to execute those she believed threatened her throne. Though a common stratagem in Italy’s tortured politics, Catherine’s marriage into France’s royal family seemed a dead end, as her husband, Henry II, ignored her in favor of his mistress. Matters improved when both Mary and Henry II died within months of each other. Elizabeth became queen of England. Although Salic law forbade women rulers in France, Catherine’s male children required a regent when young and became accustomed to her authority as years passed. The women never met, but they argued, cooperated, negotiated, and made war, usually as enemies but occasionally together, for 30 years, during a time awash in violent religious disputes. These battles tore France apart, and the nation was overshadowed by Europe’s superpower, Spain, which, despite being firmly Catholic, gave priority to its national interests and so sometimes allied with Protestant England, sometimes with France. Inevitably, the text is mostly a record of quarrels and negotiations as revealed in the two women’s massive private correspondence and diplomatic reports. To enliven matters, Paranque often converts the material into fictionalized scenes with invented dialogue and insight into the characters’ thoughts. Although not always successfully, the tactic seems to preserve the spirit of the interactions.

Solid diplomatic history and account of the lives of two female rulers who held their own in Renaissance Europe.