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Kate Williams

Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots Hardcover – August 23, 2018

105 ratings

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A Times History Book of the Year

'A scintillating, provocative analysis.' Daily Telegraph

Mary and Elizabeth: cousins, rivals, queens. They allied and fought and plotted - but could never escape their bond... A story which inspired the forthcoming film: MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.

The thrilling new history from bestselling historian and broadcaster, Kate Williams.

At the end of the Tudor era, two queens ruled one island. But sixteenth-century Europe was a man’s world and powerful voices believed that no woman could govern. All around Mary and Elizabeth were sycophants, spies and detractors who wanted their dominion, their favour and their bodies.

Elizabeth and Mary shared the struggle to be both woman and queen. But the forces rising against the two regnants, and the conflicts of love and dynasty, drove them apart. For Mary, Elizabeth was a fellow queen with whom she dreamed of a lasting friendship. For Elizabeth, Mary was a threat. It was a schism that would end in secret assassination plots, devastating betrayal and, eventually, a terrible final act.

Mary is often seen as a defeated or tragic sovereign, but Rival Queens reveals instead how she attempted to reinvent queenship and the monarchy – in one of the hardest fights in royal history.

Going back to the original letters and archives, Kate Williams has created an electrifying new perspective on both Mary and on Elizabeth and, ultimately, on the great sacrifices a woman must make to be a queen.

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Product details

Publisher : Hutchinson (August 23, 2018)
Language: : English
ISBN-10 : 0091936705
ISBN-13 : 978-0091936709
Item Weight : 1.5 pounds
Dimensions : 6.38 x 1.5 x 9.45 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,991,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,239 in Scotland History
- #11,356 in Political Leader Biographies
- #13,126 in Historical European Biographies (Books)

Customer Reviews:
105 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		71%
4 star		18%
3 star		6%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Top review from the United States

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Chad

Nice read

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020

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Written well. Keeps your attention. Never boring. I didn't find myself skipping paragraphs.

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Annals of Lorsch

Kindle Mess Up Again

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2018

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The book itself is well researched but unfortunately, the Kindle version has messed up what potentially is a sympathetic and very personal duel biography of Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scots. Three important letters have not been printed and now I have to return and hope the hardback is better. I have read this authors other work and am still looking forward to providing a better review when I have the hardback. I am aware that a review now may seem unfair, but unfortunately on Kindle you can't provide Seller Feedback, which is where this belongs. Amazon need to check their Kindle printings and publishing for better quality.

i will be updating my review once I have finished the hardback. From what I have looked through thus far, this is a deeply personal portrait of both Queens and looks beyond the stereotype failure of Mary Queen of Scots to a woman struggling with over mighty male subjects who just expected her to behave and do as they wished. She was a strong willed young Queen, her early reign was actually successful, but her choice of husband was her downfall. Her letters to Elizabeth are full of fire and belief in her cause, while Elizabeth is both diplomatic and almost insulting. She is full of her own importance and insists on giving Mary advice. In the end this was not followed and Mary was misled by her cousin. In any event more will follow once I have the hardback.

14 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Same old same old

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

I purchased the kindle version of this and the quality was poor. Captions for illustrations were incorrect and none of the photos of 'letters' came out, just a blank page. All of which I could have overlooked if the book was worth reading, but it's a rehash of Alison Weir, nothing new and Mary is portrayed as an ineffectual woman always being picked on. If you want to read a good dual biography try Jenny Dunn or, better yet, Lady Antonia Fraser's biography of Mary.

15 people found this helpful

F. V. L. Buliciri

A wonderful insight into Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2019

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I have always been fascinated by Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots particularly their relationship with each other and their power struggle for the English throne.

Professor Kate Williams, Professor of Public Engagement with History at Reading University captures well in Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots the characters and complexities of both Queens, the English queen, Elizabeth I and the Scots queen, Mary, Queen of Scots.

This book is a well written, excellently researched historical account about Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. The underlying factors both queens had in common: they were cousins, rivals and were female rulers in a man's world.

In Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots a balanced view of both queens is presented as victims of manipulative forces behind the English and Scottish thrones using both queens in their lust for power.

I always thought that Mary, Queen of Scots was the weaker queen in the battle for the English throne but Elizabeth I was a victim of royal hierarchy and society in general formed by men and ruled by men with both queens fighting to find their voice and place in society.

Read Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots written by Professor Kate Williams, one of the best modern historians of the new age. I highly recommend it.

10 people found this helpful

Meg Perrot

Disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2019

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Disappointing book and I expected much better from Kate Williams. The book starts well, but Mary Stuart dominates most of the book, and what really spoils it for me is Williams repeatedly using the same phrases over and over again. We are constantly told how beautiful Mary was, even in political discussions when it isn't relevant. With the crisis of Darnley, we are told time and time again that Mary was in shock and this governs her actions, which could be relevant but we are told time and again until it gets boring. We are never told Elizabeth is in shock, despite being used by Thomas Seymour and being imprisoned by her sister. I found it incredulous that Williams thinks Mary thought Darnley was only to be 'roughed up' and not murdered . Expected much better from this book and a more balanced view of Mary.

7 people found this helpful

Adrian Tudor

A compelling story about two of history’s most famous women - couldn’t put it down!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2018

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Kate Williams weaves together impeccable research and her gifted ability to tell a story. The outcome is a hugely readable and accessible book which tells the story of two fascinating - and wildly different - women ruling in a world dominated by men. One of them thrived, conquering through sheer intellect, while the other ultimately failed. This book unveils new insights, and tells the gripping story of Elizabeth and Mary, and the cousins’ complex, competitive relationship. A great book, and a great read.

10 people found this helpful

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Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots Hardcover – August 23, 2018

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