Maureen Waller has written a fascinating narrative history---a brilliant combination of drama and biographical insight on the British monarchy---of the six women who have ruled England in their own names. In the last millennium there have been only six English female sovereigns: Mary I and Elizabeth I, Mary II and Anne, Victoria and Elizabeth II. With the exception of Mary I, they are among England's most successful monarchs. Without Mary II and Anne, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 might not have taken place. Elizabeth I and Victoria each gave their name to an age, presiding over long periods when Britain made significant progress in the growth of empire, prestige, and power. All of them have far-reaching legacies. Each faced personal sacrifices and emotional dilemmas in her pursuit of political power. How to overcome the problem of being a female ruler when the sex was considered inferior? Does a queen take a husband and, if so, how does she reconcile the reversal of the natural order, according to which the man should be the master? A queen's first royal duty is to provide an heir to the throne, but at what cost? In this richly compelling narrative of royalty, Maureen Waller delves into the intimate lives of England's queens regnant in delicious detail, assessing their achievements from a female perspective.

A collection of nine original essays dealing exclusively with women as characters or authors in Middle English literature. Varied perspectives are provided, from biblical exegesis, medieval social history, and art history to feminist critical theory and Jungian psychology. An annotated bibliography lists primary texts and critical materials. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Historian James D. Taylor gathers in one volume all known historical information regarding Henry Grey, father of Lady Jane Grey. Descended from a distinguished and noble heritage that produced two queens, Henry Grey gave up a comfortable, quiet and leisurely life to become one of the most powerful and influential men in England next to the king. His influence was so strong that, working in alliance with the Duke of Northumberland, he was able to coerce the young King Edward VI, on his deathbed, to change the order of succession to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne when Edward died, making Henry Grey the father of the Queen. Documents trace the Grey lineage back as far as 1100 CE. This venerable family was intermingled with many other well placed and ambitious figures of medieval England, and these axes of power and influence all came into play upon the death of the young King Edward VI. Alliances and conspiracies first put Jane on the throne, then brought Henry VIII's daughter Mary to claim the crown herself. In the end, Henry Grey brought destruction upon his daughter and himself, as they were sent to the executioner within a week of each other. The tensions and emotions of this high-stakes game can be sensed from the documentary record. A genealogy of the Grey family, descriptive information on Henry Grey's wife Frances Brandon - an ambitious granddaughter of King Henry VII, a list of Knights made by King Edward VI and other historical documents accompany the text. The author also presents some dramatic narratives from the 1700s and 1800s which add flavor to the story.