Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Ballantine Books (2012), Hardcover, 480 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband�s seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn. Katherine�s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as �Juana the Mad,� whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband�s coffin beside her for years. But historian Julia Fox, whose previous work painted an unprecedented portrait of Jane Boleyn, Anne�s sister, offers deeper insight in this first dual biography of Katherine and Juana, the daughters of Spain�s Ferdinand and Isabella, whose family ties remained strong despite their separation. Looking through the lens of their Spanish origins, Fox reveals these queens as flesh-and-blood women�equipped with character, intelligence, and conviction�who are worthy historical figures in their own right. When they were young, Juana�s and Katherine�s futures appeared promising. They had secured politically advantageous marriages, but their dreams of love and power quickly dissolved, and the unions for which they�d spent their whole lives preparing were fraught with duplicity and betrayal. Juana, the elder sister, unexpectedly became Spain�s sovereign, but her authority was continually usurped, first by her husband and later by her son. Katherine, a young widow after the death of Prince Arthur of Wales, soon remarried his doting brother Henry and later became a key figure in a drama that altered England�s religious landscape. Ousted from the positions of power and influence they had been groomed for and separated from their children, Katherine and Juana each turned to their rich and abiding faith and deep personal belief in their family�s dynastic legacy to cope with their enduring hardships. Sister Queens is a gripping tale of love, duty, and sacrifice�a remarkable reflection on the conflict between ambition and loyalty during an age when the greatest sin, it seems, was to have been born a woman.… (more)
Media reviews
Library Journal
"There may not be much new ground to break in the histories of these renowned women, but Fox's biography is well written, even riveting, and painfully highlights the fate of women in patriarchal societies. Recommended for readers with an interest in women's history or the history of 15th- and
Show More
16th-century western Europe. " Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Cariola
Julia Fox came up with a fascinating idea in writing a dual biography of the most renowned of Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughters: Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s beleaguered queen, and Juana of Castile. The last work of non-fiction that I read (Alison Weir’s bio of Mary Boleyn) was
Katherine and Juana have been reduced over time almost to caricatures, Katherine as the stubbornly Catholic wife who refused to let Henry go, and Juana as a wife so obsessed with her husband that his affairs and early death drove her to madness. But Fox shows that there was much more to each woman, and that, to a great extent, the restrictions of gender and the machinations of the men around them caused their downfalls. She details Katherine’s role as an ambassador concerned with the interests of both Spain and England, as well as her diplomacy and finesse in dealing with Henry. Fox does an admirable job of presenting fairly the events with which most readers will be familiar: her penurious widowhood following the death of Prince Arthur; the dispensation to marry Henry; the many miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths; her displacement by Anne Boleyn. In the case of Juana, Fox’s research demonstrates that existing letters and reports from those permitted to see her following her confinement for madness demonstrate that she behaved sanely and graciously. Fox contends that her husband and father schemed to keep her from exercising sovereignty over Castile, Ferdinand in particular unwilling to give up what he had jointly ruled with Isabella after she died and left the crown to Juana, her eldest daughter.
Through no fault of the author’s, the space devoted to the sisters is not balanced 50/50, simply because there is less documentation of Juana’s life. Near the end, Fox poses a fascinating question: What would have happened if the sisters’ roles had been reversed—if Katherine, so good at diplomacy, had been Queen of Castile, and if Juana, who produced six children (two emperors and four queens) had been Henry’s wife?
Show More
tediously repetitious and digressive, a problem I’ve found with many historical biographies. Fox, however, has avoided that pitfall, creating an engaging and highly readable narrative.Katherine and Juana have been reduced over time almost to caricatures, Katherine as the stubbornly Catholic wife who refused to let Henry go, and Juana as a wife so obsessed with her husband that his affairs and early death drove her to madness. But Fox shows that there was much more to each woman, and that, to a great extent, the restrictions of gender and the machinations of the men around them caused their downfalls. She details Katherine’s role as an ambassador concerned with the interests of both Spain and England, as well as her diplomacy and finesse in dealing with Henry. Fox does an admirable job of presenting fairly the events with which most readers will be familiar: her penurious widowhood following the death of Prince Arthur; the dispensation to marry Henry; the many miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths; her displacement by Anne Boleyn. In the case of Juana, Fox’s research demonstrates that existing letters and reports from those permitted to see her following her confinement for madness demonstrate that she behaved sanely and graciously. Fox contends that her husband and father schemed to keep her from exercising sovereignty over Castile, Ferdinand in particular unwilling to give up what he had jointly ruled with Isabella after she died and left the crown to Juana, her eldest daughter.
Through no fault of the author’s, the space devoted to the sisters is not balanced 50/50, simply because there is less documentation of Juana’s life. Near the end, Fox poses a fascinating question: What would have happened if the sisters’ roles had been reversed—if Katherine, so good at diplomacy, had been Queen of Castile, and if Juana, who produced six children (two emperors and four queens) had been Henry’s wife?
Show Less
LibraryThing member janeajones
Intrigued by cariola's review of Sister Queens, I ordered a copy of Julia Fox's dual biography. While a biography obviously meant for a popular audience, the facts are carefully documented (not with footnotes, but with 27 pages of detailed chapter notes and an extensive bibliography), and the
I was interested in the biography, because until now, I had never really gotten the Spanish royal family of the 15th and 16th centuries straightened out as to who was who and how they were related. Like most English lit types., I had figured out all the intricacies of British Tudor relationships, but how did those Spaniards fit in?
Now I get it -- so in that respect, the book was a truly successful read. I learned that Henry VIII was not the only multi-married sovereign. Phillip II of Spain had four wives (including Mary Queen of England) and Manuel I of Portugal married not only the two elder sisters of Katherine and Juana, but also Juana's eldest daughter (so much for consanguinity). Thankfully, Fox supplies a family tree at the beginning that helps to supplement the telling of the lives of the sisters, Juana and Katherine, the youngest of the five children of Ferdinand and Isabella.
I also appreciated the insights into the marriage of Katherine and Henry VIII -- their early successful partnership, their grief over the infant death of their son Henry and subsequent miscarriages, Henry's infatuations with pretty young things and his desperate ambitions for a male heir. Understandably, the major focus of the Tudor era has been on Elizabeth and her mother, Anne Boleyn. There is far more material on Katherine in the book than on her sister Juana because there are far many more sources available about Katherine than Juana.
Like her sister, Juana was married young to cement alliances and increase Spanish influence in Europe. She bore six healthy children to Phillip of Burgundy, who was destined to become the Holy Roman Emperor. When her three elder siblings died, leaving no heirs, Juana became heir to the thrones of Aragon and Castile. When Isabella died, Juana became queen of Castile -- to her great misfortune. The rest of her life is circumscribed by her husband's, her father's and her son's determination to not only rule Spain, but also Juana. To that end, they exploited her reputation for emotional outbursts by declaring her unfit to rule, indeed mad, and sequestered her away for the rest of her long life.
Fox loves details about the pageantry of ceremonies -- what the participant wore, the expensive masques and gifts, and who was in attendance. She clearly tags the major players on the scene -- Ferdinand, Wolsey, Charles II of Spain, but she doesn't provide much deep insight into the politics or even the characters of the participants. And she's not the most elegant prose stylist. With these caveats, I certainly recommend the book to those who want a somewhat different view into the world of 16th c. Europe.
Edit | More
Show More
author is careful not to sensationalize the material.I was interested in the biography, because until now, I had never really gotten the Spanish royal family of the 15th and 16th centuries straightened out as to who was who and how they were related. Like most English lit types., I had figured out all the intricacies of British Tudor relationships, but how did those Spaniards fit in?
Now I get it -- so in that respect, the book was a truly successful read. I learned that Henry VIII was not the only multi-married sovereign. Phillip II of Spain had four wives (including Mary Queen of England) and Manuel I of Portugal married not only the two elder sisters of Katherine and Juana, but also Juana's eldest daughter (so much for consanguinity). Thankfully, Fox supplies a family tree at the beginning that helps to supplement the telling of the lives of the sisters, Juana and Katherine, the youngest of the five children of Ferdinand and Isabella.
I also appreciated the insights into the marriage of Katherine and Henry VIII -- their early successful partnership, their grief over the infant death of their son Henry and subsequent miscarriages, Henry's infatuations with pretty young things and his desperate ambitions for a male heir. Understandably, the major focus of the Tudor era has been on Elizabeth and her mother, Anne Boleyn. There is far more material on Katherine in the book than on her sister Juana because there are far many more sources available about Katherine than Juana.
Like her sister, Juana was married young to cement alliances and increase Spanish influence in Europe. She bore six healthy children to Phillip of Burgundy, who was destined to become the Holy Roman Emperor. When her three elder siblings died, leaving no heirs, Juana became heir to the thrones of Aragon and Castile. When Isabella died, Juana became queen of Castile -- to her great misfortune. The rest of her life is circumscribed by her husband's, her father's and her son's determination to not only rule Spain, but also Juana. To that end, they exploited her reputation for emotional outbursts by declaring her unfit to rule, indeed mad, and sequestered her away for the rest of her long life.
Fox loves details about the pageantry of ceremonies -- what the participant wore, the expensive masques and gifts, and who was in attendance. She clearly tags the major players on the scene -- Ferdinand, Wolsey, Charles II of Spain, but she doesn't provide much deep insight into the politics or even the characters of the participants. And she's not the most elegant prose stylist. With these caveats, I certainly recommend the book to those who want a somewhat different view into the world of 16th c. Europe.
Edit | More
Show Less
LibraryThing member amy2011
I received this book as part of the first-reads program from goodreads.This book tells the story of two remarkable women that were sisters who became the queen of England and the queen of Castile.The book covers more of Katherine of Aragon than it does Juana of Castile.Juana of Castile doesn't have
Show More
as many historical records and accounts left for us today as Katherine does so I found that to not be the fault of the author.This book was well researched by the author and written more in the manner of a historical fiction than a dry history book.I truly loved this book and have read many books about Henry the VIII and Katherine of Aragon yet this writer still taught me a thing or two.I loved reading the parts about Katherine's wedding to Authur because the author painted a very vivid account of the grand scale of what was involved and who was present to the clothes they were wearing and the cost involved.Katherine and Juana came from an amazing and powerful family and in this book you get to learn about them as well.This book is not just about the sisters themselves but about the most powerful men and women ruling Europe during the time.I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves history,royals,or historical fiction.I have to say Julia Fox did an amazing job with this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.I give it 5 starts for the ease of reading and the research that went into this wonderful book. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookPurring
As many others I was fascinated by the Tudors back when the Showtime's tv show was on, and around the time The Other Boleyn Girl movie was filmed. Since I've read a lot of Tudor books fiction and non fiction, there isn't much I haven't read about Katherine of Aragon. However, this book still
What I enjoyed the most about Sister Queen was that unlike other historical non-fiction, it almost read as if the author was telling me a story as opposed to just dumping fact after fact in the book. Yet, there is plenty of details and quotes that back up the author's research. I would suggest getting this book as a hardback as opposed to an ebook, because like other non-fiction book it comes with pictures and portraits of the key figures in it. While reading, more than once I had the feeling that this book had more Katherine than it had Juana, I honestly think it's about 60% Katherine and 40% Juana, so keep that in mind when picking this book up. I believe the reason for the unbalance is that there just isn't as much information on Juana once she was committed to Tordesillas, and there's just plenty of information on Katherine due to her relation to Henry VII.
Show More
manages to tell some new details of her life before and after her marriage to Henry VIII. Recently, I read Jean Pleady's To Hold the Crown, which also gives a glimpse of a young Katherine and her brief encounter with Juana in England before both became queens. Since reading Plaidy's book, I became interested in Juana and Sister Queens is a pretty good introduction, and more, to Juana's life. What I enjoyed the most about Sister Queen was that unlike other historical non-fiction, it almost read as if the author was telling me a story as opposed to just dumping fact after fact in the book. Yet, there is plenty of details and quotes that back up the author's research. I would suggest getting this book as a hardback as opposed to an ebook, because like other non-fiction book it comes with pictures and portraits of the key figures in it. While reading, more than once I had the feeling that this book had more Katherine than it had Juana, I honestly think it's about 60% Katherine and 40% Juana, so keep that in mind when picking this book up. I believe the reason for the unbalance is that there just isn't as much information on Juana once she was committed to Tordesillas, and there's just plenty of information on Katherine due to her relation to Henry VII.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
This story outlines the lives of Katherine of Aragon and her sister Juana of Castile. At young ages they both knew that their lives were to be spent through marriages and political alliances. Juana marries Philip of Burgundy, who she is madly in love with, yet completely dominated by. Katherine
I thought this book was extremely detailed. It was definitely written for those who enjoy history. It focused much more on Katherine than Juana, who I know little about. I thought at times the book moved slowly, but overall I enjoyed it.
Show More
marries Arthur of England and then his brother, King Henry VIII. Both women are pawns in games of state and are unable to control their own lives.I thought this book was extremely detailed. It was definitely written for those who enjoy history. It focused much more on Katherine than Juana, who I know little about. I thought at times the book moved slowly, but overall I enjoyed it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Schmerguls
This book tells well the story of two daughters of Ferdinand and Isabella. Juana, often dubbed "the Mad" apparently was not actually mad, though she had some eccenricites, but was dominated by her father and her son (Charles V). The story of Katherine is told with an afirmative view of her and,
Show More
rightfully, an accurate view of the evil person Henry VIII was. The book appears well-researched but is told in novelistic way, and there are no footnotes and the sources are listed by chapter , making it difficult to determine the exact sources of statements in the book. But I found the accounts consistently interesting and agreed with author in regard to he view of the pretty tragic lives of the two queens. Show Less
LibraryThing member allisonmacias
Two Sisters. Two Queens. Each touched by tragedy. I have heard their stories. One a faithful wife, abused by love. Another a wife and Queen, driven mad by grief. This was their whole story, their whole life. But so much more lies beneath the surface. Julia Fox investigates the lives of these two
Juana marries Philip the Handsome, the womanizing son of the Holy Roman Emperor. It is assumed that Philip will one day assume the title of Emperor, making the match a political heaven for Spain. His influence on Juana soon leads to her isolation from her native lands and her family. After a series of devastating losses to Spain, Juana inherits her mother's Castilian Crown. Ferdinand and Philip will stop at nothing to keep Juana from ruling in her own right. They use her history of hysterics and tantrums to keep her from the throne. After Philip dies, Ferdinand has her imprisoned in Tordesillas and becomes her regent. After his death, Juana's future is in the hands of her eldest son, a boy raised by his aunt. The revolt of the Comuneros offers Juana her crown back, but her lack of ambition keep her imprisoned. After forty six years of imprisonment, Juana dies.
Katherine's story is more well known, but no less tragic. Married to Arthur, Prince of Wales, Katherine will one day be England's Queen. But five months of wedded bliss leave the pretty princess a widow. She stays in England, and is promised to Henry, the new heir to the English Throne. Politics keep the marriage from taking place. Out of money, and lacking help, Katherine waits for her God and Father to intervene. After the death of Henry VII, Katherine is married to Henry VIII and they are crowned. The early years of marriage are happy. Katherine is smart and politically astute and provides advice to the new king. But the lack of an heir weigh heavily on the King and Queen. Katherine rules as regent while Henry battles France. As regent, she raises an army and defends England against Scotland. Channeling her mother's courage and bravery, her army is victorious and hands Scotland a blowing defeat. Soon, Katherine is dealt her own defeat, losing another son. Katherine is then marginalized and watches as her husband takes young mistresses. One mistress deals a fatal blow to Katherine's marriage. Soon she is left with the comfort of only her religion, being forceful separated from her husband and daughter. But in her sorrow, she stands strong as the True Queen of England. She dies alone, longing for her daughter and husband.
The sisters' tragic stories don't end there. Mary, the daughter of Katherine, inherits the English Throne and marries Philip, Juana's grandson. Ten years older, Mary is smitten by her young and virile husband. She gives into his every whim and desire, just as Juana did for his grandfather and namesake. After losing Calais, Philip's unpopularity in England grows. With their union collapsing and no hope for an heir, Philip leaves Mary for the last time. With her death, the union of Spain and England ends.
Julia Fox presents the tragedy of the Catholic Monarchs' daughters with precision. Isabella, the backbone of the family, was a mother to be reckoned with. She insisted her children be highly educated and live for God first, Country Second and husband third. I never fully realized what a lousy father Ferdinand was. His politicking and greed came before fatherhood. I had always associated Ferdinand with Colombus and the Inquisition, but I will now add deadbeat father to my picture of Ferdinand.
I was surprised to hear that both Juana and Katherine had a temper. Katherine had Anne Stafford removed from Court after harrassing Henry after she discovered Henry's affair with Anne. Juana constantly used tantrums to get her way. She frequently refused to eat or hear mass. After Philip's death, she insisted that he should be buried at Granada, and refused to bury him when she didn't get her way. Isabella's iron will never left her girls.
I believe that I will never again fully see Juana as " La Loca" or Katherine as the abandoned wife. However, I feel sympathy for the poor tragic Queens.
Show More
Queens.Juana marries Philip the Handsome, the womanizing son of the Holy Roman Emperor. It is assumed that Philip will one day assume the title of Emperor, making the match a political heaven for Spain. His influence on Juana soon leads to her isolation from her native lands and her family. After a series of devastating losses to Spain, Juana inherits her mother's Castilian Crown. Ferdinand and Philip will stop at nothing to keep Juana from ruling in her own right. They use her history of hysterics and tantrums to keep her from the throne. After Philip dies, Ferdinand has her imprisoned in Tordesillas and becomes her regent. After his death, Juana's future is in the hands of her eldest son, a boy raised by his aunt. The revolt of the Comuneros offers Juana her crown back, but her lack of ambition keep her imprisoned. After forty six years of imprisonment, Juana dies.
Katherine's story is more well known, but no less tragic. Married to Arthur, Prince of Wales, Katherine will one day be England's Queen. But five months of wedded bliss leave the pretty princess a widow. She stays in England, and is promised to Henry, the new heir to the English Throne. Politics keep the marriage from taking place. Out of money, and lacking help, Katherine waits for her God and Father to intervene. After the death of Henry VII, Katherine is married to Henry VIII and they are crowned. The early years of marriage are happy. Katherine is smart and politically astute and provides advice to the new king. But the lack of an heir weigh heavily on the King and Queen. Katherine rules as regent while Henry battles France. As regent, she raises an army and defends England against Scotland. Channeling her mother's courage and bravery, her army is victorious and hands Scotland a blowing defeat. Soon, Katherine is dealt her own defeat, losing another son. Katherine is then marginalized and watches as her husband takes young mistresses. One mistress deals a fatal blow to Katherine's marriage. Soon she is left with the comfort of only her religion, being forceful separated from her husband and daughter. But in her sorrow, she stands strong as the True Queen of England. She dies alone, longing for her daughter and husband.
The sisters' tragic stories don't end there. Mary, the daughter of Katherine, inherits the English Throne and marries Philip, Juana's grandson. Ten years older, Mary is smitten by her young and virile husband. She gives into his every whim and desire, just as Juana did for his grandfather and namesake. After losing Calais, Philip's unpopularity in England grows. With their union collapsing and no hope for an heir, Philip leaves Mary for the last time. With her death, the union of Spain and England ends.
Julia Fox presents the tragedy of the Catholic Monarchs' daughters with precision. Isabella, the backbone of the family, was a mother to be reckoned with. She insisted her children be highly educated and live for God first, Country Second and husband third. I never fully realized what a lousy father Ferdinand was. His politicking and greed came before fatherhood. I had always associated Ferdinand with Colombus and the Inquisition, but I will now add deadbeat father to my picture of Ferdinand.
I was surprised to hear that both Juana and Katherine had a temper. Katherine had Anne Stafford removed from Court after harrassing Henry after she discovered Henry's affair with Anne. Juana constantly used tantrums to get her way. She frequently refused to eat or hear mass. After Philip's death, she insisted that he should be buried at Granada, and refused to bury him when she didn't get her way. Isabella's iron will never left her girls.
I believe that I will never again fully see Juana as " La Loca" or Katherine as the abandoned wife. However, I feel sympathy for the poor tragic Queens.
Show Less
LibraryThing member CATetley
Interesting and very well written look at two sisters and daughters of Isabella and Ferdinand - one divorced by her husband for being a troublesome wife, the other imprisoned by the men in her life, so they could rule in her place. The first chapter also includes a brief history of their royal
Overall, a very good book, and well worth reading for someone interested in European history.
Show More
parents, and what happened to their siblings, to place them in the alliance marriages they made, before focusing on the two sisters. Katherine's side of the story discusses some of the reasons her marriage started off on the wrong foot, such as her unfulfilled dowry which most of the other books I've read on the topic overlooked. Juana's side of the story focuses on how, despite her place in history as Juana the Mad, she probably was anything but - at least when it was first used as an excuse to keep her locked up. Overall, a very good book, and well worth reading for someone interested in European history.
Show Less
LibraryThing member michellebarton
Sister Queens is a fascinating side-by-side recounting of the lives of two women, sisters, who were both destined to be queens. Though they both rise to extraordinary levels of power, especially for women during this time in history, and experience periods of happiness and satisfaction, they also
Show More
survive long periods of suffering and impotence primarily due to the total lack of rights for women, rendering them completely dependent on the will and whims of the men in their lives. Julia Fox portrays both Katherine and Juana as savvy, smart, and strong willed women despite previous depictions of them as passive, weak, or crazy. Show Less
LibraryThing member dragonflyy419
Julia Fox does an excellent job of fleshing out the lives of these two fascinating women. Of course there was more on Katherine due mainly to the fact that more historical records are available about her life. Unlike many books on this era, Fox manages to avoid just stating rote facts and instead
Show More
provides a historical nonfiction that reads more like a novel. I will definitely read more of her books in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member susiesharp
I recently finished the historical fiction novels The Queen’s Vow & The Last Queen by, C.W. Gortner and went into this one because these women all fascinated me. What I liked about this one was it gave a look at Katherine’s life between marrying Arthur & Henry. I also liked the fact that like
As I said in my review of Last Queen I believe that what both of these authors assert, that she was not as crazy as they made the world believe and if she did end up going crazy who can blame her they took away everything she loved, her kingdom, her children and locked her away where she wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone, I guess I just ended up feeling so bad for her.
With Katherine we hear so much about the end of her marriage with Henry it was so very fascinating to hear what happened between the time of Arthurs death and that marriage I guess in my mind I thought it had happened rather quickly but I see now I was mistaken, she still had to jump through many hoops and so much political finagling.
There is more in this book about Katherine than Juana however that is only because there is much more documentation still around about Katherine. But the author does give a good view of Juana and her life. I found these women so fascinating. However their lives in the end kind of mirrored each other both cast out and their child taken away.
As non-fiction this book never got dry it kept my interest even when it got to the part of Tudor history I’ve heard hundreds of times but was nice to hear it from Katherine’s side.
Audio production: Rosalyn Landor’s narrations adds voice to this fascinating history and she does a great job I love her deep British, slightly haughty accent, it plays just perfect for these royals. Landor’s narrations are always great and never cookie cutter will always choose to get a book on audio if I see she narrates it!
4 Stars
Show More
Gortner’s fiction Fox also asserts that Juana wasn’t crazy (well not completely...the whole dragging her dead husband around was a little well, wacko) but that it was the men around her that wanted to rule in her stead and made it appear that way and used anything they could to make it so. As I said in my review of Last Queen I believe that what both of these authors assert, that she was not as crazy as they made the world believe and if she did end up going crazy who can blame her they took away everything she loved, her kingdom, her children and locked her away where she wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone, I guess I just ended up feeling so bad for her.
With Katherine we hear so much about the end of her marriage with Henry it was so very fascinating to hear what happened between the time of Arthurs death and that marriage I guess in my mind I thought it had happened rather quickly but I see now I was mistaken, she still had to jump through many hoops and so much political finagling.
There is more in this book about Katherine than Juana however that is only because there is much more documentation still around about Katherine. But the author does give a good view of Juana and her life. I found these women so fascinating. However their lives in the end kind of mirrored each other both cast out and their child taken away.
As non-fiction this book never got dry it kept my interest even when it got to the part of Tudor history I’ve heard hundreds of times but was nice to hear it from Katherine’s side.
Audio production: Rosalyn Landor’s narrations adds voice to this fascinating history and she does a great job I love her deep British, slightly haughty accent, it plays just perfect for these royals. Landor’s narrations are always great and never cookie cutter will always choose to get a book on audio if I see she narrates it!
4 Stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary
I'm not much of one for biographies, despite the volume of European historical fiction that I enjoy reading. This is usually because every non-fiction novel I have ever attempted to read has been incredibly dull, overly complex and, most importantly, incredibly scholarly, but not readable at all.
Sister Queens tells the stories of Katherine of Aragon and her sister Juana of Castile, daughters of the famous Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain wrapped into tales of the entire families and the larger issues taking place in Europe at the time. Young Katherine and Juana are brought up with the greatest of schooling and the greatest of ambitions. Through careful negotiations, when the sisters were old enough, each was sent off to marry -and build politically advantageous unions. Katherine was sent to England to marry Prince Arthur, while Juana was sent to Burgundy to marry Duke Philip.
Though Katherine of Aragon's life has been well-explored, much of the focus on her was later in her reign, when Henry broke with the Catholic Church, divorced Catherine and married Anne Boleyn. Through this lens, Katherine was always depicted as the wronged, strong-willed first wife of Henry VIII, but here, Julia Fox paints a detailed portrait of Katherine's young years, struggling with the sudden death of Arthur, the painfully drawn-out negotiations that eventually led to her marriage to Henry, and years as a powerful political figure, confident and beloved Queen -even though she never gave birth to a living son. Fox offers readers a glimpse into the life of a strong, intelligent and real woman who was more advanced than most women of her time.
Katherine's story is intertwined seamlessly with that of her older sister, Juana. Juana's story has been less-explored than that of Katherine, and she has been frequently portrayed as "Juana the Mad," a mentally unstable queen who spent much of her life imprisoned. Here, Fox sheds some light into Juana's younger years in Burgundy, and the complex politics that led to her unexpected position as the Queen of Castile, the most powerful kingdom in Spain. And, sadly, how her gender became her downfall. Juana's tale is a tragic, yet strangely compelling one that, in many ways, captivated me more than Katherine's tale. She was wronged by so many men in her life -her husband, her own father and even her own son, all labeling her as degranged and insane so they could take power in her place, though Fox (and many other historians) believe that the charges of insanity were fabricated.
Fox does an exquisite job of balancing scholarly discussion and accurate information with compelling readability that made this biography whiz by without even a hint of boredom. I read this book in just two days, and loved every education moment of it. Fox offers just enough well-researched detail to bring the period to life without bogging down the story with too much information (which tends to be an issue in much of the non-fiction I've attempted). Sister Queens has made me a believer in non-fiction.
Show More
This brings me to Julia Fox's latest offering, Sister Queens, which I originally ordered thinking that it was a fiction novel. It wasn't until I received the book, that I realized I had made a mistake. However, I decided to give it a try anyway, and I was incredibly surprised.Sister Queens tells the stories of Katherine of Aragon and her sister Juana of Castile, daughters of the famous Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain wrapped into tales of the entire families and the larger issues taking place in Europe at the time. Young Katherine and Juana are brought up with the greatest of schooling and the greatest of ambitions. Through careful negotiations, when the sisters were old enough, each was sent off to marry -and build politically advantageous unions. Katherine was sent to England to marry Prince Arthur, while Juana was sent to Burgundy to marry Duke Philip.
Though Katherine of Aragon's life has been well-explored, much of the focus on her was later in her reign, when Henry broke with the Catholic Church, divorced Catherine and married Anne Boleyn. Through this lens, Katherine was always depicted as the wronged, strong-willed first wife of Henry VIII, but here, Julia Fox paints a detailed portrait of Katherine's young years, struggling with the sudden death of Arthur, the painfully drawn-out negotiations that eventually led to her marriage to Henry, and years as a powerful political figure, confident and beloved Queen -even though she never gave birth to a living son. Fox offers readers a glimpse into the life of a strong, intelligent and real woman who was more advanced than most women of her time.
Katherine's story is intertwined seamlessly with that of her older sister, Juana. Juana's story has been less-explored than that of Katherine, and she has been frequently portrayed as "Juana the Mad," a mentally unstable queen who spent much of her life imprisoned. Here, Fox sheds some light into Juana's younger years in Burgundy, and the complex politics that led to her unexpected position as the Queen of Castile, the most powerful kingdom in Spain. And, sadly, how her gender became her downfall. Juana's tale is a tragic, yet strangely compelling one that, in many ways, captivated me more than Katherine's tale. She was wronged by so many men in her life -her husband, her own father and even her own son, all labeling her as degranged and insane so they could take power in her place, though Fox (and many other historians) believe that the charges of insanity were fabricated.
Fox does an exquisite job of balancing scholarly discussion and accurate information with compelling readability that made this biography whiz by without even a hint of boredom. I read this book in just two days, and loved every education moment of it. Fox offers just enough well-researched detail to bring the period to life without bogging down the story with too much information (which tends to be an issue in much of the non-fiction I've attempted). Sister Queens has made me a believer in non-fiction.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Carolee888
Sister Queens by Julia Fox shows how historical non-fiction should be done.
Julia Fox is truly talented. She handled the nemesis of writing non-fiction where events or facts are disputed with finesse. When it could not be resolved whether or not something happened, she would state what is commonly
I have wanted to dip into Tudor history for a long time and now I am intrigued enough to read more about the mother of these two sister queens, Queen Isabella of Castile and all the other wives of Henry VIII. The author clearly shows Queen Isabella's influence on the thoughts and actions of her daughters, Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile. Their mother deeply influenced their thoughts and actions.After this book. Their mother went to battle, held her convictions strongly, and was a very keen strategist. We see the positive and the negative sides of having Queen Isabella for a mother. We also understand why the two women reacted the way that they did.
There were many surprises for me. I did not know that Henry VIII was 6' 2' and athletic as a young man. And also, even at the time that he was highly praised by his country and other royals in different countries, he did not refrain from being extremely cruel. I had read a tiny bit about "Mad Juana" did not feel satisfied with the scanty details about her. Julia Fox covered Juana's life and lets the reader make their own decisions.
Just as the other girls of royal families at that time, both Kathryn and Juana were raised with one purpose in mind. To make a wonderful match for alliances and to produce children is the duty of the female royal. Why do this? It is their duty and purpose to their country. The entire fortune of a female royal depended on her fertility and ability to have male heirs.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly and learned so much from it that I don't want to spoil it for you by revealing too much. This book was totally engaging. It was rich with details of clothes, the wedding preparations, even the books that the women read. From their training as little girls in the domestic arts, Latin, specially selected classics and religious writings to the detail of their burials, you will not want to lay this book done. Julia Fox can compete with an historical fiction in only truthfulness but also excitement. This is history done with excellence.
I recommend this book to anyone would loves history.
I received this book as a part of the Amazon Vine program and that in no way influenced my review.
Julia Fox is truly talented. She handled the nemesis of writing non-fiction where events or facts are disputed with finesse. When it could not be resolved whether or not something happened, she would state what is commonly
Show More
believed and then follow it with something like "Maybe not". For me, this is so much better than arguing back and forth whether or not something is true. That information belongs in the notes not where it can slow down the pace of the book. From the skilled way that she wrote this book I ended up with trust in what she wrote.I have wanted to dip into Tudor history for a long time and now I am intrigued enough to read more about the mother of these two sister queens, Queen Isabella of Castile and all the other wives of Henry VIII. The author clearly shows Queen Isabella's influence on the thoughts and actions of her daughters, Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile. Their mother deeply influenced their thoughts and actions.After this book. Their mother went to battle, held her convictions strongly, and was a very keen strategist. We see the positive and the negative sides of having Queen Isabella for a mother. We also understand why the two women reacted the way that they did.
There were many surprises for me. I did not know that Henry VIII was 6' 2' and athletic as a young man. And also, even at the time that he was highly praised by his country and other royals in different countries, he did not refrain from being extremely cruel. I had read a tiny bit about "Mad Juana" did not feel satisfied with the scanty details about her. Julia Fox covered Juana's life and lets the reader make their own decisions.
Just as the other girls of royal families at that time, both Kathryn and Juana were raised with one purpose in mind. To make a wonderful match for alliances and to produce children is the duty of the female royal. Why do this? It is their duty and purpose to their country. The entire fortune of a female royal depended on her fertility and ability to have male heirs.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly and learned so much from it that I don't want to spoil it for you by revealing too much. This book was totally engaging. It was rich with details of clothes, the wedding preparations, even the books that the women read. From their training as little girls in the domestic arts, Latin, specially selected classics and religious writings to the detail of their burials, you will not want to lay this book done. Julia Fox can compete with an historical fiction in only truthfulness but also excitement. This is history done with excellence.
I recommend this book to anyone would loves history.
I received this book as a part of the Amazon Vine program and that in no way influenced my review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dgmlrhodes
This dual biography of Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile paints an interesting and sometimes overlooked portrait of these women. Most historical biographies are dry, but this one was extremely readable and had great pacing. While the bulk of the story was focused on Katherine I really
Overall a great story and well worth the read if you are interested in history. Reader received a complimentary copy from Good Reads First Reads.
Show More
enjoyed Juana's story as it dispels the coon myths about her being insane. Also from a different angle, the story of Katherine paints a different picture as it doesn't solely portray her as a woman scorned by focusing on the Boleyns. Overall a great story and well worth the read if you are interested in history. Reader received a complimentary copy from Good Reads First Reads.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sscarllet
I really enjoy reading about strong women throughout history and Katherine and Juana did not disappoint.
I often forget that they were related, or even of the same time. That won't be possible after reading this book. Most of the book concentrates on Katherine of Aragon's life, there is just more
I liked Fox's summation of the story. Both women lead tragic lives and both sacrificed and pushed for their childrens inheritance. Out of the two Juana was by far more successful, creating a line that has lasted until the present day.
I often forget that they were related, or even of the same time. That won't be possible after reading this book. Most of the book concentrates on Katherine of Aragon's life, there is just more
Show More
to say. Juana, oh poor Juana, was locked up most of her life. Show Less
LibraryThing member pennsylady
First dual bio of Katherine and Juana...(daughters of Spain's Ferdinand and Isabella.)
4.5* favorite
"The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s
Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years."
Julia Fox offers a commanding portrayal of sisters each with courage, conviction, strength of character and intelligence.
They are each historical characters worthy of note.
J Fox reminds us of the parallels such as politically advantageous marriages, destroyed dreams (love, power) betrayal by their husbands.
We see them both with deep faith and loyalty to family legacies.
I've just touched the surface here.
The book, however is one of depth and well worth the time you invest.
4.5* favorite
"The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s
Show More
seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn.Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years."
Julia Fox offers a commanding portrayal of sisters each with courage, conviction, strength of character and intelligence.
They are each historical characters worthy of note.
J Fox reminds us of the parallels such as politically advantageous marriages, destroyed dreams (love, power) betrayal by their husbands.
We see them both with deep faith and loyalty to family legacies.
I've just touched the surface here.
The book, however is one of depth and well worth the time you invest.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
Juana of Castile and Katherine of Aragon were both daughters of the renowned monarchs, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, the backers of Columbus and creators of a united Spain. Most people have heard of Katherine because she was the first wife of Henry VIII of England, who he divorced
Katherine failed Henry VIII by not producing a male heir. The English people loved her, and she was a good queen- while Henry was off fighting in France, Katherine organized the Battle of Flodden Field, wherein the English forces defeated the Scots. Juana was hot tempered and given to sulking when she didn’t get her way; she frequently chose hunger strikes as a way of communicating her frustration. Sadly, this enabled first her husband, then her father, and finally her son to brand her as insane and shut her away, her imprisonment handled by abusive jailors.
We know in fair detail how Katherine lived and what happened to her because she wrote copious amounts of letters, many of which have survived. Juana was not allowed to do this, and so we know almost nothing of her life in prison. This creates a problem for the book: the author tries to give equal time to both women, but, because of lack of sources, takes to speculating on how Juana felt or what she said. If this was historical fiction, this would be just fine, but it’s not suitable for factual biography. Not only is it speculation, but it’s filler in an attempt to even the wordage. Other than that, I have no problem with the book; it gave me a look at Katherine that is different from what I’ve had before. She wasn’t the stodgy hausfrau that most biographers of Henry portray her as; she was young and beautiful when they first met, she was very well educated, and she ran her household- and the country- very well. Juana was just as well prepared to rule and was blocked from ever doing that. Was she “mad”? She possibly had some manic traits or the like, but from what little we know from people who spoke with her during her imprisonment, she spoke calmly and reasonably. A four star book.
Show More
and by doing so created the Anglican Church, in defiance of the Catholic Church. Juana is far less known, even though she was on paper a ruler of a far larger country; as her brothers all died before Isabella and Ferdinand did, she was the ruler of Spain. But they both found themselves mistreated and usurped from their thrones by the men they loved and trusted. Katherine failed Henry VIII by not producing a male heir. The English people loved her, and she was a good queen- while Henry was off fighting in France, Katherine organized the Battle of Flodden Field, wherein the English forces defeated the Scots. Juana was hot tempered and given to sulking when she didn’t get her way; she frequently chose hunger strikes as a way of communicating her frustration. Sadly, this enabled first her husband, then her father, and finally her son to brand her as insane and shut her away, her imprisonment handled by abusive jailors.
We know in fair detail how Katherine lived and what happened to her because she wrote copious amounts of letters, many of which have survived. Juana was not allowed to do this, and so we know almost nothing of her life in prison. This creates a problem for the book: the author tries to give equal time to both women, but, because of lack of sources, takes to speculating on how Juana felt or what she said. If this was historical fiction, this would be just fine, but it’s not suitable for factual biography. Not only is it speculation, but it’s filler in an attempt to even the wordage. Other than that, I have no problem with the book; it gave me a look at Katherine that is different from what I’ve had before. She wasn’t the stodgy hausfrau that most biographers of Henry portray her as; she was young and beautiful when they first met, she was very well educated, and she ran her household- and the country- very well. Juana was just as well prepared to rule and was blocked from ever doing that. Was she “mad”? She possibly had some manic traits or the like, but from what little we know from people who spoke with her during her imprisonment, she spoke calmly and reasonably. A four star book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
3.5 stars
Katherine of Aragon (Henry VIII’s first wife) and Juana of Castile (often referred to as Juana the Mad) were sisters, both daughters of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Katherine went on to become first Arthur’s, then his brother Henry’s, wife and Mary I’s mother. Katherine was
I listened to the audio, which overall, I’ll rate good. I have read so much about the Tudors, there wasn’t a whole lot new to me about Katherine. Though, the author did highlight some of the connections and interactions (few that there were) between Katherine and Juana. I’ve read only a little bit about Juana and it’s been a while, so she was a bit more interesting; however (and the author warns us of this at the start), there are a lot of years where there just isn’t a lot of information about Juana, while she is locked away.
Katherine of Aragon (Henry VIII’s first wife) and Juana of Castile (often referred to as Juana the Mad) were sisters, both daughters of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Katherine went on to become first Arthur’s, then his brother Henry’s, wife and Mary I’s mother. Katherine was
Show More
divorced by Henry (after he split from the Catholic Church) after she would not give him a son, so he could wed Anne Boleyn. Juana married Philip of Spain and had many children, but was ruled by Philip, although she was a queen in her own right after Isabella died. After Philip died, Ferdinand ruled while indicating to the world that Juana was insane after Philip’s death. When Ferdinand died, Charles (Juana’s son) continued to insist that Juana was crazy, so while she remained locked up, Charles was able to rule instead. I listened to the audio, which overall, I’ll rate good. I have read so much about the Tudors, there wasn’t a whole lot new to me about Katherine. Though, the author did highlight some of the connections and interactions (few that there were) between Katherine and Juana. I’ve read only a little bit about Juana and it’s been a while, so she was a bit more interesting; however (and the author warns us of this at the start), there are a lot of years where there just isn’t a lot of information about Juana, while she is locked away.
Show Less
LibraryThing member briandrewz
This was a dual biography of two sister queens: Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile. These daughters of legendary Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella led unbelievable lives. Katherine went to England as the wife of Prince Arthur of Wales. Widowed after just a few months, she eventually
The book is very readable, presenting history in a very accessible way. One of the best features, I think, is Juana's story. It's something that English biographies tend to overlook. So, it was great to see these sisters' lives written side by side.
Great reading!
Show More
became the first wife of King Henry VIII. Of course, we all know it was downhill from there. Juana inherited the throne of Castile after the death of her mother. She was locked up by her father and her son after some "madness". Her own stubbornness and obstinacy didn't help her cause.The book is very readable, presenting history in a very accessible way. One of the best features, I think, is Juana's story. It's something that English biographies tend to overlook. So, it was great to see these sisters' lives written side by side.
Great reading!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Zumbanista
A well written history of Katherine of Aragon and her sister, Juana. I knew nothing about the latter, so learned a lot here about the family and political connections between England and Spain. Quite dense reading, sometimes the details were overwhelming, but kudos to the author for thoroughness. I
Show More
can only recommend for serious history students. I did enjoy it, but was happy when I came to the final chapters. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
480 p.; 6.38 inches
ISBN
0345516044 / 9780345516046