Blood, Fire and Gold: The story of Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici

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At San Diego Comic Con 2018, Random House made a poster available featuring the Targaryen family tree that will appear in Fire & Blood. They additionally provided a signup link for their mailing list giving access to a PDF of the family tree. [16] While this version of the family tree contained several errors, [N 2] the family tree was later republished in a finalized version and released online as PDF, from which all errors were removed. This would've been a 4.5 or 5-star read if not for the awful use of ficitonal conversations and quotes.

In Blood, Fire, and Gold, historian Estelle Paranque offers a new way of looking at two of history's most powerful women: through the eyes of the other. Drawing on their private correspondence and brand-new research, Paranque shows how Elizabeth and Catherine navigated through uncharted waters that both united and divided their kingdoms, maneuvering between opposing political, religious, and social objectives—all while maintaining unprecedented power over their respective domains. Though different in myriad ways, their fates and lives remained intertwined of the course of three decades, even as the European geo-politics repeatedly set them against one another. Whether engaged in bloody battles or peaceful accords, Elizabeth and Catherine admired the force and resilience of the other, while never forgetting that they were, first and foremost, each other's true rival. It’s a big world, and the book does a good job of introducing the outside influences without going off into the weeds. Paranque expertly reminds us of the gravitational pull of Spain on our protagonists without bogging the story down with too much detail. Similarly, we are made aware of the dangerous line of succession that Henry VIII leaves behind, but only as it affects Elizabeth. Historian Estelle Paranque looks at the relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe. She draws on their private letters to craft portraits of these famous women... A must-read for history lovers."― Town and Country Magazine Two Queens. One a virgin and Queen Regnant of England, the other a wife and Queen Mother to the Valois Kings of France. With the sea being their only obstacle they would frequently cross paths politically through friendship, rivalry, respect and distrust.Historian Estelle Paranque looks at the relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe. She draws on their private letters to craft portraits of these famous women... A must-read for history lovers."— Town and Country Magazine

A fascinating, detailed look at the personal and political relations between Elizabeth and Catherine as they sought to promote the interests of their respective countries and religions."― New York Journal of Books Elizabeth and Catherine began to interact when Elizabeth became Queen in 1559. Her predecessor and half-sister, Mary Tudor, had been at war with France and had lost Calais. On her accession, Elizabeth wanted Calais to be returned to England. A compromise was reached: by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, the French were to keep the town for eight years, after which they would either return it or pay England 500,000 crowns. The book is really well written. It's easy to read but also dense enough with facts, analysis and opinion that you come away feeling informed as well as entertained. The fact that Estelle Paranque is a native French speaker means that she seems to have analysed a lot of letters from the French side that have perhaps been over-looked by other, more British focussed, historians and means this work is full of insight rather than just a rehashing of the two women's lives.Blood, Fire & Gold is a nonfiction piece about the correspondence between two Queens in the 16th century: Elizabeth Tudor of England & Catherine de Medici of France. Two Queens who are subjected to many legends, and fame, or infamy, depending on which region you are from. Upon ascending the throne, Elizabeth held a strong exchange of letters with the Queen Mother of France throughout her lifetime, revealing a complicated relationship. A relationship that shows a little bit of everything: vulnerability, scheming, hard-headedness, betrayal, and even trust. What made their working relationship a challenge was both their different viewpoints on religion and how to rule. Estelle Paranque comes here to reveal the intimate details that brings to life the two most powerful female rulers of that century. Aegon I Targaryen's Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. [7] Largely similar to The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest as it appeared in The World of Ice & Fire. Over the thirty years, Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I dealt with many obstacles in their relationship. Catherine had to deal with the antics of her children and her daughter-in-law, Mary Queen of Scots, who would become one of Elizabeth’s biggest rivals. The bond between the two queens started over a desire for one of Catherine’s sons to marry Elizabeth and become King of England and France, but alas, this was wishful thinking. Catherine and Elizabeth also had to deal with other nations, like Spain, getting in the way of their relationship, as well as the issue of religion; Catherine was a devout Catholic, and Elizabeth was more Protestant. Catherine had to deal with several wars of religions and the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, while Elizabeth had to deal with the Spanish Armada and what to do with Mary Queen of Scots.

Blood, Fire and Gold is a must-read for anyone interested in not only Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, but anyone interested in studies of female power more generally! Francis II was married to Mary, Queen of Scots, who had a claim on the English throne, and the young couple sported the arms of England. Mary’s mother, Marie de Guise, was her regent in Scotland, and was much hated by the protestant lords there whom Elizabeth supported and with whom she signed the Treaty of Edinburgh in 1560 which Mary Stuart refused to ratify. This was a fascinating look into the Tudor Era and 3 Queens are trying to keep amity between England, France Scotland and Spain. But unfortunately Religion and Religious fanatics said No we are going to put a stop to that ridiculousness and lets create a long lasting bloody massacre (St. Bartholemew Massacre)the cult behaviors on full view of Protestantism and Catholicism. Dr. Paranque wrote and created vivid visuals throughout my reading of this book. From the fashion at the time to oral history in letters and actions from Catherine to Elizabeth, Elizabeth to Henry and Catherine and to their ambassadors. Dr. Paranque did take written styling from Erik Larson which she indicates in the Author's note at the end of the book.Utterly absorbing! I have long been fascinated by Elizabeth and I have been collecting numerous nonfiction books about her both old and new. I must admit that I haven’t read them all but this work by Miss Paranque is the most readable so far. It reads like a novel and although reading nonfiction can really be intricate (I read the bibliography, the index and yes the end notes LOL!) I finished reading it with leisurely satisfaction. Paranque deftly shows how their experiences shaped the women rulers’ relationships with their subjects, advisers and each other.”― Smithsonian Magazine Fortunately, the book gets good as Paranque focuses on relations of the two powerful women in 3 main issues: 1. Elizabeth’s commitment to the Huguenots of France and Protestants throughout Europe. 2. Catherine’s 20 year negotiations to marry one of her sons to Elizabeth and 3) Elizabeth’s house arrest of Mary Queen of Scots and the later prosecution and execution. Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I had to communicate through ambassadors and letters, which Paranque translated into modern English, making it easier for modern readers to understand. I cannot stress how much I loved this book and how Paranque was able to weave the stories of the two most powerful women in 16th-century Europe.

Utterly absorbing and beautifully crafted, Estelle Paranque navigates her way through the intrigues and power struggles of the English and French courts with an expert hand. Through her gripping narrative, she brings two extraordinary women who experienced love, heartbreak, triumph and disaster masterfully to life. Blood, Fire and Gold is pacy, colourful, and above all compulsively readable. A stunning debut. Nicola Tallis

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This book, about the complex up-and-down relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Catherine de Medici, is very detailed; but in places we quite lose sight of that relationship. Paranque describes at length the lives of the two women before they interacted; and, even after that time; she will describe in great detail events such as, for example, the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots. The sources of some of the speeches and letters are footnoted, but most are not, and in those cases it seems to me that the author has invented dialogue, pauses, and facial gestures like smiles; and then the book reads like a novel. What follows is a fascinating study of the diplomatic struggles and religious tensions of sixteenth-century Europe with two of the most influential figures at its helm. Ms. Paranque... conveys the relationship between these two remarkable women with zest and insight and with sympathy... Just as historical novelists now engage in serious academic research, so some historians, Ms. Paranque among them, are ready to grant themselves the novelist's freedom—though not with facts, thank goodness. After all, outside universities, people read even carefully researched history for enjoyment. There is a lot to enjoy here."— Wall Street Journal Elizabeth I was born into a different world, where radical change threatened her very life. Her parents were King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, the Catholic monarchs of England. By the time she was one, they were well on their way to becoming the Protestant monarchs of England. But just two years later, her mother was executed for high treason. Elizabeth also had a half-sister, Mary. Born to Henry and Catherine of Aragon, Princess Mary was Catholic and a threat. For most of her life, Elizabeth would fight to maintain her legitimacy, her right to succession and her religion. Each and every choice she would make needs to be seen through this lens to make sense of her. An excellent choice for both history buffs and listeners who are interested in feminist history and the lives of women rulers."― Library Journal