Ladies of Magna Carta ~Book Review~

I just finished reading this book, and I could not wait to share the review! Check it out! If you love history, you are going to enjoy this one!

Blurb for Ladies of Magna Carta

Magna Carta clause 39: No man shall be taken, imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.

This clause in Magna Carta was in response to the appalling imprisonment and starvation of Matilda de Braose, the wife of one of King John’s barons. Matilda was not the only woman who influenced, or was influenced by, the 1215 Charter of Liberties, now known as Magna Carta. Women from many of the great families of England were affected by the far-reaching legacy of Magna Carta, from their experiences in the civil war and as hostages, to calling on its use to protect their property and rights as widows. Ladies of Magna Carta looks into the relationships – through marriage and blood – of the various noble families and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken.

Including the royal families of England and Scotland, the Marshals, the Warennes, the Braoses and more, Ladies of Magna Carta focuses on the roles played by the women of the great families whose influences and experiences have reached far beyond the thirteenth century.

My Review of Ladies of Magna Carta

Magna Carta was a bitter pill for King John to swallow, but one that he refused and threw out again and again. It was the events that led up to the charter that led many to distrust and fear what the king might do.
Maude deBraos was a wealthy woman, a member of one of the leading families in the land. As she fell onto the wrong side of the king, she was imprisoned along with other members of her family. King John starved her and her son to death, trying to force the capitulation of her husband.
When the bodies were found, there were marks on the son’s face, from where his mother had tried to stay alive – by eating the flesh of her own son.

This was only one of the many horrors that happened under the reign of King John, but much of the women who influenced the Magna Carta are only known through their husbands and minor mentions. There are, however, many women who were influential in their own rights – and these stories are played out on the pages of this book. Learn about a female sheriff, military maneuvers and more!

Well done and fabulously written, if you enjoy history – then this is a must to add to your list! This book does not disappoint.