Born to Rule
Born to Rule is the powerful epic story of five royal granddaughters of Queen Victoria, who reigned over the end of their empires, the destruction of their families, and the tumult of the twentieth century. Using never before published letters, memoirs, diplomatic documents, secondary sources, and interviews with descendents of the subjects, Julia Gelardi's Born to Rule is an astonishing and memorable work of popular history.
In Triumph's Wake
Exhaustively researched and utterly compelling, In Triumph’s Wake is the story of three unusually strong women and the devastating consequences their decisions had on the lives of their equally extraordinary daughters. Queen Isabella of Castile, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and Queen Victoria of England were respected and admired rulers whose legacies continue to be felt today. Their daughters―Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England; Queen Marie Antoinette of France; and Vicky, the Empress Frederick of Germany―are equally legendary for the tragedies that befell them, their roles in history surpassed by their triumphant mothers. In Triumph’s Wake is the first book to bring together the poignant stories of these mothers and daughters in a single narrative.
From Splendor to Revolution
This sweeping saga recreates the extraordinary opulence and violence of Tsarist Russia as the shadow of revolution fell over the land, and destroyed a way of life for these Imperial women. In From Splendor to Revolution, we watch these pampered aristocratic women fight for their lives as the cataclysm of war engulfs them. In a matter of a few short years, they fell from the pinnacle of wealth and power to the depths of danger, poverty, and exile. It is an unforgettable epic story.
A Guarded Secret
In the summer of 1904 as Russia was convulsed in the Russo-Japanese War, an event of great joy occurred when a baby boy was born to Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. After the arrival four daughters, the longed-for male heir to the Romanov dynasty, Tsarevich Alexei, had completed the family of Nicholas and Alexandra. The happiness of the imperial couple was soon dashed, however, by the tragic news that their only son and heir was afflicted with the painful and often fatal, bleeding disease, hemophilia. The ill-health of the heir to the throne was a well-guarded secret that cast a deep shadow over the final years of imperial Russia.
Here is the dramatic story of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra during those years as they struggled to deal with their son’s infirmity which brought the controversial Rasputin into the imperial court. Follow their story from the joyful day of Tsarevich Alexei’s birth in 1904 to its moving and dramatic denouement.
Drina & Lilibet
For some 130 years since 1837, two women - Victoria and Elizabeth II - have reigned as Queens of the United Kingdom. Both ascended the throne at a young age – Victoria at 18, Elizabeth at 25 years of age. Though at their births, Victoria and Elizabeth were not first in line to succeed the reigning monarch, in due course it became increasingly clear that Princess Victoria and Princess Elizabeth were destined to reign.
Here are the fascinating stories of the two queens, from birth to accession and how they were sovereigns in the making. Read how their lives unfolded; compare and contrast the similarities and differences both faced as they went from princess to queen.
Pageant of Kings
An exceptional event took place in London, England on May 20, 1910 as the funeral procession of King Edward VII wound its way through the streets of the British capital. Amidst bright sunshine, a magnificent panoply unfolded before mourners and spectators who had spilled into London to witness a historic gathering and to pay their respects to their late King. Crowds estimated at 2.5 million people watched in reverent and awed silence as the funeral cortege passed before them. Of all the impressive sights that they beheld, the gun-carriage carrying the late King’s body had made a profound impression. But so, too, did the unprecedented sight of nine reigning monarchs astride on their horses. For here gathered the monarchs of England, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Bulgaria, and Denmark to pay homage to King Edward VII. Follow these monarchs’ lives whose stories are filled with drama, pathos, tragedy, and heroism.