The Real White Queen And Her Rivals - The Women of the Cousins' War

After reading all of Philippa Gregory's books about the cousin's war, at first I was disappointed that this book didn't read like her novels. Instead it
was more like reading a history book. As one who is interested in this subject I found this book informative as well as entertaining. The bibliography shows the intensive research which she as well as the other authors engaged in writing this book.

It sure did feel like Phillipa Gregory was trying way too hard to prove that she's a "real" historical writer and to defend her historical fiction work. I couldn't care less. Very dry work, this, and I'm afraid that it cast a negative light on the fiction that I read immediately following.

I appreciate the intent of Philippa Gregory to write the factual companion to her heroines, but honestly her research into the actual history is so brilliant, that the true facts behind the people are one big snooze.

As someone who doesn't read very much nonfiction, I was a little apprehensive about reading The Women of the Cousins' War, but I was so fascinated by Elizabeth Woodville of The White Queen and Margaret Beaufort of The Red Queen, that I was drawn to this book, especially since it comes from Philippa Gregory. For the book, Gregory teamed up with two other historians, David Baldwin and Michael Jones, to explore the real lives of the women behind her novels.

Gregory opens the book was a unique introduction that explores the role (or lack thereof) of women in history, as well as Gregory's personal reasons for writing novels about this little-known women. Most interestingly, she gives readers a glimpse into her own writing process, own own motivations for writing what she does, and the difficulties of doing historical research that lead to large holes that are later filled in with fiction.

Gregory takes the lead with the first essay on Jacquetta of Luxembourg, the mother of Elizabeth Woodville. Gregory explains that when she went to research Jacquetta for her novel The Lady of the Rivers, there was no biography available about her, so she had to conduct her own research to learn about Jacquetta. Gregory pens a fascinating account of Jacquetta's life, tracing it from her birth up to her death and through the many complex politics between. Of all the essays in the book, I found Gregory's to be the easiest to read and enjoy, mostly because it pulls on her fiction writing abilities and seems to explore more of her subject's motivations and emotions than the other essays.

Next comes David Baldwin, who pens an essay on the life of Elizabeth Woodville, Jacquetta's daughter. Though filled with precise accuracy, I found it to be a little bit dry and difficult to read. This was probably because my brain had honed into Gregory's style in the previous essay, and Baldwin chose to stick more strongly to fact, and didn't theorize much on what Elizabeth likely thought or felt. While informative, I wouldn't consider Baldwin's essay light reading.

Last, historian Michael Jones chronicles the life of Margaret Beaufort, the virtually unknown matriarch of the Tudor family and grandmother to Henry VIII. Thankfully, Jones' writing reads much more smoothly than Baldwin's, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that Jones went further back than Margaret's birth to discuss the unique origins of the Beaufort family. Giving all this back story really helped to put Margaret and her life into context, and I felt like I had a greater understanding of Margaret's "character." Also, I kind of hate to say it, but I found Jones' short essay on Margaret to be a little more interesting than The Red Queen, which I thought was the weaker of Gregory's first two novels on the Cousins' War.

A must-read for history buffs and hardcore Gregory fans, Women of the Cousins' War helps to reveal who these little-known women were and why their lives are worth the study and interest of people today. Complete with family trees, maps, portraits and other images of the period, the lives of these fascinating women from history fully come to life.

Gregory wrote the first portion on Jacquetta herself, so immediately I was pulled in by her writing style. Even though it is non-fiction, Gregory has a knack of hooking readers in and captivating us with her knowledge; plus, Jacquetta's life is so fascinating. It's no wonder I was easily hooked. Jacquetta's second marriage to Richard Woodville always enthralls me as it defied convention since he wasn't of royal blood; essentially, she married for love. Her stints with magic and accusations of witchcraft also add to my amusement. I absolutely loved learning more about Jacquetta's incredible life.

The second segment is by historian David Baldwin and it concentrates on Elizabeth Woodville, whose rise from a struggling single mother to a Queen is downright fascinating. Although I felt Baldwin's portion wasn't as easy to read as Gregory's, it still filled in the many gaps in my knowledge and answered my many questions concerning Elizabeth's life. After reading The White Queen, I had so many questions about the princes in the tower and Baldwin touched on many of the possible theories.

The last section is about Margaret Beaufort and is written by historian Michael Jones. I found Margaret to be a snooze-fest in Gregory's The Red Queen, so I was hesitant to read this portion. However, Jones really brought her to life. I was blown away by her childhood. I knew it was pretty horrible, but Jones explains it a bit more. I found this to be very helpful and ultimately, it explained why she acted the way she did in The Red Queen. After reading this write-up on Margaret, I've come to respect her more; you can't deny how devoted she was to her cause.

The Women of the Cousins' War is displayed proudly on my bookshelf right next to the Gregory's other books from the Cousins' War series. Like I said before, not only does this non-fiction text bridge any gaps in my learning about the War of the Roes, it also helps me to enjoy Gregory's series that much more.

Philippa Gregory's best-selling novels about women in English history have been founded in this historian's determination to reclaim women's real and significant impact. It's important to know that we can play big parts in a big story. In this nonfiction work, The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother, Gregory and her co-authors tell us about extraordinary women in leading roles, women nearly forgotten.

Let me first mention that Gregory's introduction is a valuable discussion of the differences between writing history and writing historical fiction. She offers insight into specifics, such as point of view and tense, and she distinguishes the tasks of historian and novelist, suggesting where speculation fits in both forms. Her comments about writing the history of women, tangled as it is with cultural and sexual myths and realities, illuminate the untangling process.

For the body of this book, Gregory teams up with historians David Baldwin and Michael Jones to give us three short biographies of women she has written about in her novels, "The Cousins' War" series. (The third in the series, The Lady of the Rivers, was released shortly after this volume.)

I'm not a scholar of English history, and I was glad for the maps and genealogies provided to help me follow the cousins--the Somersets, Lancasters and Yorks, four generations of offspring from Edward III--as they made bloody war for medieval wealth and power. Even Gregory's lucid prose has difficulty clarifying for an American all the unfamiliar relationships and events of the time period, and it must be said that though Baldwin and Jones are able authors, I found their parts a bit more academic than elegant. Of course, they are all working from a very small historical record.

A lot of ground and many years are covered, nonetheless, and the women profiled are connected to terrible royal wars and plots. They survive very real danger. They also have daily lives and children. There is plenty of drama behind the available facts.

Jacquetta of Luxembourg was nobly born around 1415, and was connected to both the Lancasters and the Yorks. She managed to marry for love and had at least fourteen children, while serving as lady-in-waiting to the queen and as dowager duchess of great estates, through a long lifetime of international political maneuvering and close calls.

Jacquetta's daughter by a simple knight, Elizabeth Woodville was the first commoner to marry a reigning monarch, Edward IV of the York line. She was queen, but often under threat, and lost many of those closest to her to terrible violence. Yet Elizabeth, like her mother, accomplished more than simple survival.

Margaret Beaufort, daughter of the Duke of Somerset, was a rich young heiress of twelve when she was married to Edmund Tudor, who was twice her age. Her family was contending for the throne, and Margaret was ambitious, devoutly religious, and a force behind armies. Her son became king, Henry VII, and married Elizabeth Woodville's daughter.

Jacquetta, Elizabeth and Margaret are grandmothers to Henry VIII, matriarchs of his line. Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin and Michael Jones chose well to write about them for they are powerful characters, who had lasting influence beyond their biological links to a famous king. They had big parts in a big story. For me, The Women of the Cousins' War served its purpose admirably, introducing me to these remarkable women, preventing them from slipping into the shadows of female invisibility, and making me want to read more.

by Susan Schoch
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Since I've enjoyed a number of historical fiction titles over the years by a variety of historical novelists, I thought this might add to that broad knowledge base. I've read about Henry IV and Elizabeth Woodville (Royal Mistress,) Richard III and the Nevilles (The Kingmaker's Daughter,) Lady of the Rivers (about Elizabeth Woodville's mother, Jacquetta, and her husband Lord Rivers,) The Red Queen (Margaret Beaufort) and numerous other stories about the Tudors, Plantagenets, etc., I found this book quite historically engaging. I would have rated it higher, but it took me over a year to finish reading it. Not because it wasn't interesting, but because of the many details including references and historical events. It takes me a lot longer to read non-fiction for this reason. Regardless, I think it helped illustrate the backgrounds of several prominent women during the Middle Ages and their political aspirations/issues. I would highly recommend it for history lovers, particularly those interested in the politics of the 14th and 15th centuries. It also has lineages and pictures in the book, which added to its appeal.

THE WOMEN OF THE COUSINS' WAR refers to three little-known icons of the English court that star in Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War. This five-book series centers on the renowned and lesser-known competitors of the Wars of the Roses. Three women dominate the subject here: Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort (Duchess of Bedford, Queen of England and mother to King Henry). Gregory makes the case that they are not nearly as famous as they should be, given the fact that they survived and thrived during the superstitious, violent era of the wars. In spite of everyday dangers, political obstacles, battles and accusations of witchcraft, each woman rose to power or helped her children do so, against incredible odds. There, her wits, character and calculating intelligence contributed to the rise of the Tudor dynasty.

Gregory and her co-authors, David Baldwin and Michael Jones, have written a kind of feminine devotional here, dedicated to unbiased history and women's virtues. As in her other books, a tremendous amount of effort is devoted toward gathering material and conducting thorough research, complimented by the work of historians. She has included a lengthy introduction on the unique challenges of writing history and fiction, along with timelines, maps, pedigrees and illuminating illustrations that give characters depth and background. An extensive index has been placed at the back, allowing readers to reference individuals and events. Thus you can use the book like a novel or an encyclopedia, reading from cover to cover or simply as a reference material. Either way, it has been designed with convenience in mind, and anyone looking for a figure or event relating to the War of the Roses will have no trouble becoming informed.

Gregory chose her heroines well. They have spectacular stories, so amazing you'll be astounded they really happened. No complete account has ever been created on any of them before now. These are women with particular things in common, giving this history a common thread and a common theme.

Each one of these ladies was present near a battlefield or directly involved in politics relating to a major skirmish or battle in the War of the Roses. Each had been loyal in serving a cause, fluctuating at times between the Lancaster and Yorkist factions. Each went to a great deal of trouble and personal risk to advance her family in the aristocratic world, and each contributed to history significantly. Each was passionate about some high ideal, whether that be exploring the virtues of mysticism, intellectualism, or religious piety. Each paid a high price for her status and devoted her life to ensuring the safety of her loved ones. Each possessed intensity, passion and willpower. Each displayed tremendous ambition and resilience under fire. Each one was labeled or misrepresented by the public.

Gregory views these women as models of contemporary leadership: "They are my heroines, they are foremothers...The lives of these, and other women, show me what a woman can do even without formal power, education, or rights, in a world dominated by men. They are the inspirational examples of the strength of the female spirit." She explains it isn't by accident that their histories have been excluded from the record. In most cases, only the rise of feminism in the 20th century has allowed obscure heroines to be recognized for extraordinary deeds. But not all their stories have been told. It makes perfect sense that a female writer be the one who tells them.

THE WOMEN OF THE COUSINS' WAR is extraordinary history. Those who have read any of Philippa Gregory's books know she is a great writer and a leader in the genre. She also has proven herself to be devoted to pure history in her latest impressive effort to complete the record.

Reviewed by Melanie Smith

This book is a departure for author Philippa Gregory who is well known for her historical novels. This book has short biographies of 3 women whom Gregory has profiled in her fictional series "The Cousin's War". Gregory wrote one bio and invited noted scholars to do the other two. In a 37 page introduction Gregory tells more about how and why this book came to be.

The first subject, Jaquetta of Luxembourg, has the least trace in the historical record. Gregory makes the most of what she can find but I have to admit, the more intriguing woman in this chapter is Margaret of Anjou. Jaquetta became a wealthy widow at age 19, remarried for love and bore 14 children.

Jaquetta's oldest daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, was both a Queen Consort and a Queen Mother; she is also the mother of the "Princes of the Tower", whose fate remains a mystery. The profile is by David Baldwin author of Elizabeth Woodville: Mother of the Princes in the Tower. As queen, she saw to it that the large Woodville (Lancasterian) family received lands, commissions and favorable marriages. These honors, coming from the Yorkist King, Henry IV, added to the fuel of the "Cousin's War".

While Margaret Beaufort was the woman I knew most about, I did not know about her father or her early marriage. Because of her dedication to her son, I had no idea that she hardly saw him in childhood nor that she is considered a suspect regarding the disappearance of the princes in the tower. Her portrait is by Michael Jones, author of The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby. While each of these three women led amazing lives, Margaret Beaufort's was and remains the most interesting to me.

This book provides a good overview of both the women and their times. Those who are knowledgeable will probably know a lot of what is covered. Each portrait is introduced with a clear genealogy and concludes with an annotated list of sources. There are a few color plates, a few black an white renderings, and there is a useful index.

This book is an excellent companion piece to the series of books about the women who probably had more to do with the Tudor dynasty than they are given credit for. The book is broken into three parts, each written by a different author to give a place in history to these fascinating women. The wonderful introduction by Gregory explains that women were very rarely mentioned and record keeping about them, is spotty at best. By piecing together historical documents, letters and conjecture, it is possible to recreate the importance these women had in the history of the ruling class.

The first section written by Gregory sparkles with her familiar style of bringing history to life and covers Jaquetta, the Duchess of Bedford and her rise in English Royalty. The next section written by Baldwin details the ascent of Elizabeth Woodville answers many questions about her life, but it lacked a bit in the sparkle department. The last section, written by Jones, reveals Margaret Beaufort, who I disliked in The Red Queen, but now understand a bit better. This is a must read for anyone that wants a better understanding of the lives of these women.

I love Phillipa Gregory, not only her historical fiction series but her contemporary works as well. I generally like to read the historical fiction versions of these famous ladies portrayed in this book and I am not a great fan of non fiction biographies of the medieval era as they can be pretty dry. This book however was awesome. I especially enjoyed the introduction by Phillipa Gregory as she clarified how she writes and how she researches. My feeling is that all authors of historical fiction sometimes embellish the stories of famous people to keep the story interesting and I as a reader do not find fault with that. I read a book for its entertainment value and if I learn something new, that is great too. This book is full of interesting information about a few of the most interesting ladies of England. Without them history would be totally different than it is now. A very interesting and entertaining book written by three very well informed historians. I will be putting this book next to my other Phillipa Gregory books.

"The Women of the Cousins' War" is a wonderful companion to anyone who has read Gregory's Cousins' War aka War of the Roses novels or watched the miniseries The White Queen. This novel offers more insight into the lives of three of the main characters, Jacquetta, Elizabeth Woodville, and Margret Beaufort. Gregory's insightful research into Jacquetta's life alone is worth the read. I was especially fascinated by Gregory's interpretation of why historians have been so neglectful of women of the past and how they were regulated to the margins of history. Fascinating read.

Jacquetta of Luxembourg" by Philippa Gregory. The ultimate survivor (including giving birth to ten children in fifteen years), Jacquetta the Lancastrian married twice but it was her daughter from her second marriage, Elizabeth who enabled her to live prosperously in spite of reign change and constant war. That is until Warwick accused her of witchcraft and executed her husband and son without a trial.

"Elizabeth Woodville" by David Baldwin. The ultimate commoner, Elizabeth married the king of England as her second husband. She loved King Edward IV in spite of his womanizing and had four children with him (plus two from her first marriage). When he died she risked all to insure her young son Edward V would sit on the throne. Her brother-in-law Richard the Protector sent Edward and his younger brother to the Tower.

"Margaret Beaufort" by Michael Jones. The ultimate matriarch, Margaret married four times, but it is her second marriage to Edmund Tudor that impacted history. Deeply religious yet as deeply ambitious she insister her son Henry was the rightful king of England though his claim was weak. He became Henry VII and started the House of Tudor.

This engaging biographical collection makes a strong case that women played major roles in the War of the Roses leading to the rise of the House of Tudor. The three bios are well written, filled with facts, references, pictures and maps. Although a brief treatise on what led to the Cousins' War would have anchored the scenario that enabled three courageous women to influence the future of England, readers will relish learning the impact of these intrepid females.

Harriet Klausner

Jacquetta, Elizabeth, and Margaret are three formidable ladies that Gregory covers in her Cousins' War trilogy. Jacquetta was known for her witchcraft and for giving birth to one of the Queen's of England, Elizabeth Woodville. Elizabeth Woodville becomes one of the founding mothers of the new royal family. Margaret Beaufort becomes the grandmother of Henry VIII. All of these women had a profound affect on the future of the English royal family.

Gregory, Jones, and Baldwin each ...more Jacquetta, Elizabeth, and Margaret are three formidable ladies that Gregory covers in her Cousins' War trilogy. Jacquetta was known for her witchcraft and for giving birth to one of the Queen's of England, Elizabeth Woodville. Elizabeth Woodville becomes one of the founding mothers of the new royal family. Margaret Beaufort becomes the grandmother of Henry VIII. All of these women had a profound affect on the future of the English royal family.

Gregory, Jones, and Baldwin each take on one of these ladies and fills in a little more of their background than you get in the trilogy. It was nice to learn a little bit more. It even made me appreciate Margaret Beaufort a little more (you'll remember I wasn't a big fan of her book, The Red Queen). This is a great introduction if you haven't read the trilogy yet or a great complement if you have read some or all of the trilogy.

Okay, and for all you that fear non-fiction, this is a great springing off point to show you that non-fiction books don't have to be scary. This book is fact filled but still very accessible!

Bottom line: History and Historical Fiction lovers alike will enjoy this book!

Excruciating text, poorly edited, dreadful "history". Phillipa Gregory needs to stay with fiction. She cannot do proper history with any professional skill or fluency. Do not buy this book. It is a total waste of paper.