Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power [Paperback]

Dulcie M. Ashdown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

The motives, means, and consequences of the murders among members of Europe’s ruling families are examined in fascinating detail. Plucking true stories due to their historical significance and sheer intrigue, this book relates violent deaths amid royal splendor and the overthrow of tyrants by oppressed populations. Methods vary from sword and arrow, to bomb and bullet, to alleged witchcraft. Settings range from Russia to Portugal. The involvement Mary Queen of Scots may have had in her second husband’s murder is examined as well as a search for the facts behind Shakespeare’s portrayal of the murderous usurpers Macbeth and Richard III. But in European history there has been no royal murder to rival Russia’s Tsar Ivan the Terrible, a homicidal maniac responsible for thousands of deaths, whose dramatic killing sprees are examined here.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dulcie M. Ashdown is the author of numerous books on British and European history, including Tudor Cousins.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752449370
• ISBN-13: 978-0752449371
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning and most informative, April 3, 2000

By 

N. Reid (Kingston, Jamaica, W.I.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Royal Murders (Hardcover)

Ms. Ashdown provided an interesting exposition of royal murders throughout the centuries and what was particularly pleasing about this book was the fact that she did not limit herself to British royalty but rather extended her analysis to Russian, Hungarian, French and Spanish monarchy. She was truly original in her analysis, establishing various lines of review - killings by poison, magic, for political purposes,self-aggrandizement etc. She also showed how the reasons for royal murders have changed over the centuries, reflecting in part the declining importance of royalty throughout the world. After completing this book, I was much more informed about this particular topic and I heartily recommend this to all. Ms. Ashdown's style is exciting, holding the reader's interest throughout.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Badly organized, but informative, October 17, 2001

By 

Moe811 (New York USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Royal Murders (Paperback)

This book contains a great number of anecdotes connecting royalty and murder, as victim and perpetrator. I found it very interesting, but at times, very difficult to follow. Until it resolved itself around the middle to be organized along a sort of time line, I couldn't figure out if it was sorted by country, family, or time. The author doesn't go into a great deal of detail in regards to each crime, so if you want an interesting overview of royals as murderers or victims, this book will suit your purposes well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars `There is something in human nature that makes a murder story appealing to all sorts of people.', March 2, 2010

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power (Paperback)

This book spans more than a thousand years of history, examining the motives, means and consequences of murders of - and by - Europe's ruling families. There are all manner of murders here: from the possible involvement of Mary Queen of Scots in the death of Darnley to the murderous killings undertaken by Tsar Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). There are murders that overthrew tyrants, ended dynasties and started wars. And how were these murders committed: swords and arrows, bombs and bullets, and poison. Witchcraft too, allegedly. The royal murderers have killed, often to gain (or retain) power. Consort queens have murdered their husbands, fathers their sons and sons their fathers.

The unifying theme of this book is murder or attempted murder of and by royalty, or those closely connected to royalty. It caught my attention, but didn't always keep it. I found snippets of information that I was previously unaware of, as well as some interpretations that I may not agree with. Despite the subject matter, I found this a comparatively light read, probably because I wanted more information about some of the individual cases than the book provided. Still, if you are interested in the lives and deaths of royalty, this book may well appeal.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith