Click for full-size.
MISTRESS OF THE MONARCHY; The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster / Alison Weir
by Weir, Alison
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Very Fine/Very Fine
- ISBN 10
- 0345453239
- ISBN 13
- 9780345453235
- Seller
-
Lake Forest, Illinois, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Ballantine Books, 2009. First U.S. Edition, First Printing. Cloth and boards. Very Fine/Very Fine. color photos. INSCRIBED by the AUTHOR on the half title, tall 8vo, ivory quarter cloth with gold lettering over tan boards, archival mylar-protected pictorial dust jacket (unclipped) reproducing portrait of Duchess Katherine Swynford, xxii + 392 pages + [2] About the Author. Historian Alison Weir's second novel. Katherine Swynford was a woman ahead of her time. A royal mistress in the 15th century, she made her own choices, flouted convention, and took control of her destiny. She became one of the crucial women in the history of the British dynasties. Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books, and more recently historical novels, mostly in the form of biographies about British royalty. INSCRIBED & SIGNED in EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION! First printing with complete number line. No remainder marks.
Synopsis
Acclaimed author Alison Weir has been prolific with her books on English royalty covering everything from the Houses of York and Lancaster to the reigns of the Tudors and beyond. Now this remarkable historian brings to life the extraordinary tale of the woman who was ancestor to them all: Katherine Swynford, a royal mistress who was to become one of the most crucial figures in the history of the British royal dynasties.Born in the mid-fourteenth century, Katherine de Roet was only twelve when she married Hugh Swynford, an impoverished knight. But her story had already begun when, at just ten years old, she was appointed to the household of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and fourth son of King Edward III, to help look after the Duke's children. Widowed at twenty-one, Katherine, gifted with beauty and undeniable charms, was to become John of Gaunt's mistress.Their years together played out against a backdrop of court life at the height of the Age of Chivalry. Katherine experienced the Hundred Years' War, the Black Death, and the Peasants' Revolt. She survived heartbreak and adversity, and crossed paths with many eminent figures of the day, among them her brother-in-law, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. Yet as intriguing as she was to many of her contemporaries, there were those who regarded her as scandalous and dangerous. Throughout the years of their illicit union, John and Katherine were clearly devoted to each other, and in middle age, after many twists of fortune, they wed. The marriage caused far more scandal than the affair had, for it was unheard of for a royal prince to wed his mistress. Yet Katherine triumphed, and her children by John, the Beauforts, would become the direct forebears of the Royal Houses of York, Tudor, and Stuart, and of every British sovereign since 1461 (as well as four U.S. presidents).Drawing on rare documentation, Alison Weir paints a vivid portrait of a passionate spirit who lived one of medieval England's greatest love stories. Mistress of the Monarchy reveals a woman ahead of her time--making her own choices, flouting convention, and taking control of her destiny. Indeed, without Katherine Swynford the course of English history, perhaps even the world, would have been very different.From the Hardcover edition.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Borg Antiquarian
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 5570
- Title
- MISTRESS OF THE MONARCHY; The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster / Alison Weir
- Author
- Weir, Alison
- Illustrator
- color photos
- Format/Binding
- Cloth and boards
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Very Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First U.S. Edition, First Printing
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0345453239
- ISBN 13
- 9780345453235
- Publisher
- Ballantine Books
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 2009
- Keywords
- Lady Jane, Queen Elizabeth, Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Britain, wives, execution, Renaissance, map, illustrated
Terms of Sale
Borg Antiquarian
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Borg Antiquarian
Biblio member since 2015
Lake Forest, Illinois
About Borg Antiquarian
BorgAntiquarian (ABAA & ILAB) is a dealer long engaged in selling exceptional collectibles: rare and fine books, autographs and manuscripts, fine art and artifacts. We are generalists in Americana, English & American literature, plus selected authors & important figures (Dickens & Darwin; presidents & 'signers'; scientists & historical figures; Revolutionary & Civil War militaria).
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Number Line
- A series of numbers appearing on the copyright page of a book, where the lowest number generally indicates the printing of that...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Remainder
- Book(s) which are sold at a very deep discount to alleviate publisher overstock. Often, though not always, they have a remainder...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Half Title
- The blank front page which appears just prior to the title page, and typically contains only the title of the book, although, at...
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
How to properly store your collection
Don't let a few small mistakes erode the value of your growing book collection. Review these tips to help preserve the beauty of your books!
Collecting Children’s Literature
Children’s books are among some of the most popular themes to build a book collection on. Learn a bit more in our Brief History of Children’s Literature.
