Bibliograph

The dark queens, the bloody rivalry that forged the medieval world, Shelley Puhak

Type

Label

The dark queens, the bloody rivalry that forged the medieval world, Shelley Puhak

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-295) and index

resource.biographical

collective biography

Illustrations

platesillustrationsmaps

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The dark queens

Responsibility statement

Shelley Puhak

Sub title

the bloody rivalry that forged the medieval world

Summary

Brunhild was a foreign princess, raised to be married off for the sake of alliance-building. Her sister-in-law Fredegund started out as a lowly palace slave. And yet -in 6th-century Merovingian France, where women were excluded from noble succession and royal politics - these two iron-willed strategists reigned over vast realms, changing the face of Europe. Award-winning writer Shelley Puhak resurrects two very real women in all their complexity, painting a richly detailed portrait of an unfamiliar time and striking at the roots of some of our culture's stubbornest myths about female power

Table Of Contents

A wedding in Metz -- Meeting the Franks -- The fall of Charibert -- New alliances -- A missive to Byzantium -- The slave queen -- All the king's men -- The siege -- The witch and the nun -- Back channels -- Uprising -- The laws of sanctuary -- Crime and punishment -- "Wise in counsel" -- Fredegund's grief -- Brunhild in the breach -- The regency -- Set ablaze -- Brunichildis Regina -- The King is dead -- The vexations of King Guntram -- The Gundovald affair -- The diplomatic arts -- The Dukes' revolt -- A royal engagement -- The defiant nuns -- Allies and assassins -- Forlorn little boys -- The fading of the kings -- The dual rule -- Brunhild's battles -- The fall -- Epilogue: Backlash

Classification