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The James Lydon Lectures in Medieval History and Culture
Blood Royal: Dynastic Politics in Medieval Europe
Throughout medieval Europe, for hundreds of years, monarchy was the way that politics worked in most countries. This meant power was in the hands of a family - a dynasty; that politics was family politics; and political life was shaped by the births, marriages and deaths of the ruling family. How did the dynastic system cope with female rule, or pretenders to the throne? How did dynasties use names, the numbering of rulers and the visual display of heraldry to express their identity? And why did some royal families survive and thrive, while others did not? Drawing on a rich and memorable body of sources, this engaging and original history of dynastic power in Latin Christendom and Byzantium explores the role played by family dynamics and family consciousness in the politics of the royal and imperial dynasties of Europe. From royal marriages and the birth of sons, to female sovereigns, mistresses and wicked uncles, Robert Bartlett makes enthralling sense of the complex web of internal rivalries and loyalties of the ruling dynasties and casts fresh light on an essential feature of the medieval world.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2020
About the author
Robert Bartlett
56 books51 followersRobert Bartlett, CBE, FBA, FRSE is Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Mediaeval History Emeritus at the University of St Andrews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 24, 2023
5 "phenomenal, accessible, foundational" stars !!!
Thank you to Netalley, the author and Cambridge University Press for an e-copy. This was released in August 2020. I am providing my honest review.
I do not think I could be more enthusiastic about a history text. This is not a book of popular history but a textbook about pan-european royal dynasties in the medieval ages. This is an amazing, comprehensive, fascinating and accessible book about the sociological family and political developments on royal power throughout Europe. This historian very carefully and sequentially prepares the reader to comprehensively understand these developments within Christian Europe. He covers England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bohemia, Eastern Europe, Byzantium, Cyprus and quite a few others.
Mr. Bartlett slowly and carefully lays out all the sociological and political rules that developed through Europe and over time provides hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of examples to demonstrate to the serious student or amateur historian how rules, customs and power dynamics were born, developed and dissipated. This is an extremely skillful and difficult feat. The book includes pictures and illustrations and the last forty percent of the book includes summaries, notes and sources.
For the first time in my life I feel like I have a grasp on understanding Medieval European Royal Dynasties in a comprehensive and literate manner.
I started this book in October 2022 and with my morning tea would read a morsel, take a few notes and layer by layer my understanding and appreciation of this subject matter grew in both breadth and depth. The author also lit a fire under my chair to learn much more about the Byzantine Empire. Yass !
I truly cannot rave about this book enough and I am so grateful for what I learned and the enjoyment provided. I truly wish this book could have gone on forever as it made each morning special and educational.
Thank you to Netalley, the author and Cambridge University Press for an e-copy. This was released in August 2020. I am providing my honest review.
I do not think I could be more enthusiastic about a history text. This is not a book of popular history but a textbook about pan-european royal dynasties in the medieval ages. This is an amazing, comprehensive, fascinating and accessible book about the sociological family and political developments on royal power throughout Europe. This historian very carefully and sequentially prepares the reader to comprehensively understand these developments within Christian Europe. He covers England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bohemia, Eastern Europe, Byzantium, Cyprus and quite a few others.
Mr. Bartlett slowly and carefully lays out all the sociological and political rules that developed through Europe and over time provides hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of examples to demonstrate to the serious student or amateur historian how rules, customs and power dynamics were born, developed and dissipated. This is an extremely skillful and difficult feat. The book includes pictures and illustrations and the last forty percent of the book includes summaries, notes and sources.
For the first time in my life I feel like I have a grasp on understanding Medieval European Royal Dynasties in a comprehensive and literate manner.
I started this book in October 2022 and with my morning tea would read a morsel, take a few notes and layer by layer my understanding and appreciation of this subject matter grew in both breadth and depth. The author also lit a fire under my chair to learn much more about the Byzantine Empire. Yass !
I truly cannot rave about this book enough and I am so grateful for what I learned and the enjoyment provided. I truly wish this book could have gone on forever as it made each morning special and educational.
March 7, 2022
2/20 ok I'm so confused about something to the point that I'm questioning what I've thought I've always known. I can practically name in order every English ruler from Henry I and this has me thinking I've lost my mind. Did Ian Mortimer write this book?
Here's the issue: about 47% in Lambert Simnel is introduced and the author keeps stating that "in the case of the alias Edward VI..." why would he ever be the sixth? Edward V was taken by his uncle's men and put in the tower. Edward VI is Henry's son not Edward's. Have I lost my mind? Please someone either correct me or the book because the internet is agreeing with me.
The author did it again! Perkin Warbeck is Richard IV. I do not like this at all. I understand it’s not the pretender’s faulty. Most of the pretenders did not want to participate, but instead were either forced or bribed most of the time, I’m not sure I’ll read another book by this author. I’ll have to see what I own…
Ok with much thanks to a dear friend below I can now honestly say it has been such a breath of fresh air to read this book. It goes all the way back to the original founders of the French, British, Spanish, and Hungarian dynasties, so I’m reading different names than Mary, Margaret, Anne, Louis, Edward, Philip, etc. i mean those names are there but there are so much more in one book. Usually I have to read multiple books for variety.
Here's the issue: about 47% in Lambert Simnel is introduced and the author keeps stating that "in the case of the alias Edward VI..." why would he ever be the sixth? Edward V was taken by his uncle's men and put in the tower. Edward VI is Henry's son not Edward's. Have I lost my mind? Please someone either correct me or the book because the internet is agreeing with me.
The author did it again! Perkin Warbeck is Richard IV. I do not like this at all. I understand it’s not the pretender’s faulty. Most of the pretenders did not want to participate, but instead were either forced or bribed most of the time, I’m not sure I’ll read another book by this author. I’ll have to see what I own…
Ok with much thanks to a dear friend below I can now honestly say it has been such a breath of fresh air to read this book. It goes all the way back to the original founders of the French, British, Spanish, and Hungarian dynasties, so I’m reading different names than Mary, Margaret, Anne, Louis, Edward, Philip, etc. i mean those names are there but there are so much more in one book. Usually I have to read multiple books for variety.
June 17, 2020
Even a glance at the big moments in British history will reveal the significance of royal blood not only to the dynastic politics of inheritance and succession but for the state as a whole. The most obvious being the religious, cultural, and economic effects of Henry VIII's desperation for a son. Never mind the number of women and men who died for his choices.
What Robert Bartlett does here is write this story on the grandest of scales, illustrating the interconnectivity of royal houses throughout Europe during the medieval period. The amount of research that must have been needed for this is impressive. The inclusion of stories from the whole of Christian Europe and Byzantium as evidence for Bartlett's arguments can be considered the book's strength and its weakness, giving it a somewhat overwhelming and list-like feel at times. I'd say it's perhaps not one for the general reader, though this might be more reflective of my own lack of subject knowledge than any issue with readability. It's incredibly detailed, comprehensive, and offers an intriguing way into the variety of female experience during the period. While it's certainly not an east read, it is engaging in its own way and I'm glad that I'll have it as a reference for future studies.
ARC via Netgalley
What Robert Bartlett does here is write this story on the grandest of scales, illustrating the interconnectivity of royal houses throughout Europe during the medieval period. The amount of research that must have been needed for this is impressive. The inclusion of stories from the whole of Christian Europe and Byzantium as evidence for Bartlett's arguments can be considered the book's strength and its weakness, giving it a somewhat overwhelming and list-like feel at times. I'd say it's perhaps not one for the general reader, though this might be more reflective of my own lack of subject knowledge than any issue with readability. It's incredibly detailed, comprehensive, and offers an intriguing way into the variety of female experience during the period. While it's certainly not an east read, it is engaging in its own way and I'm glad that I'll have it as a reference for future studies.
ARC via Netgalley
October 5, 2021
The range of research this book must have taken is seriously impressive. I feel like I could ask the author about any king/queen of the medieval period and he would tell me their place of birth, important achievements and mother's cousin's dog's name.
Some interesting things I learned:
- There are some arcane points of law concerning succession that are thankfully not important today. Consider a king A who has an elder son B and younger son C. B has his own son, D, and then dies. Upon the death of A, does the kingship pass to D (his grandson) or C (his younger son)? This is actually where the stereotype of the "evil uncle" comes from, C being the evil uncle of D. (The answer in the British monarchy is D, so William would still inherit even if Charles predeceased Elizabeth. But this is not a universal pattern.)
- The inheritance of women/queens is quite interesting too. Per Saint Joan, this actually played a role in the Hundred Years' War. England and France disputed the succession because England would have inherited the French throne via the female line, while France would have inherited via the male line, hence leading France to codify the Salic law. There are some important queens left out of the book because they do not belong to the medieval era proper (primarily Kristina of Sweden, Maria Theresa of AH, Anne & Victoria of Britain and Catherine the Great).
- Regnal numbering is a surprisingly non-trivial issue. E.g. the Edwards of England (8 currently) start their numbering from Edward I in the 13th century, despite there being three prior Edwards of the pre-Norman age (the Elder, the Martyr and the Confessor). The deliberate exclusion of the Anglo-Saxon Edwards is this part of the general emphasis by the post-Conquest kings on their break with the past. Conversely, Philip Duke of Swabia became Holy Roman Emperor Philip II around the same period, despite there only being a prior Philip (the Arab) in the actual Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE, emphasising conversely the link to the past.
The book of course wasn't perfect. I think it assumes a little too much prior historical knowledge on the part of the reader. "Basic" questions like: what is the Holy Roman Empire? who are the Tudors and Stuarts? where is Christendom? are not really answered. But these are small concerns in comparison to the really impressive scope of the book.
Some interesting things I learned:
- There are some arcane points of law concerning succession that are thankfully not important today. Consider a king A who has an elder son B and younger son C. B has his own son, D, and then dies. Upon the death of A, does the kingship pass to D (his grandson) or C (his younger son)? This is actually where the stereotype of the "evil uncle" comes from, C being the evil uncle of D. (The answer in the British monarchy is D, so William would still inherit even if Charles predeceased Elizabeth. But this is not a universal pattern.)
- The inheritance of women/queens is quite interesting too. Per Saint Joan, this actually played a role in the Hundred Years' War. England and France disputed the succession because England would have inherited the French throne via the female line, while France would have inherited via the male line, hence leading France to codify the Salic law. There are some important queens left out of the book because they do not belong to the medieval era proper (primarily Kristina of Sweden, Maria Theresa of AH, Anne & Victoria of Britain and Catherine the Great).
- Regnal numbering is a surprisingly non-trivial issue. E.g. the Edwards of England (8 currently) start their numbering from Edward I in the 13th century, despite there being three prior Edwards of the pre-Norman age (the Elder, the Martyr and the Confessor). The deliberate exclusion of the Anglo-Saxon Edwards is this part of the general emphasis by the post-Conquest kings on their break with the past. Conversely, Philip Duke of Swabia became Holy Roman Emperor Philip II around the same period, despite there only being a prior Philip (the Arab) in the actual Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE, emphasising conversely the link to the past.
The book of course wasn't perfect. I think it assumes a little too much prior historical knowledge on the part of the reader. "Basic" questions like: what is the Holy Roman Empire? who are the Tudors and Stuarts? where is Christendom? are not really answered. But these are small concerns in comparison to the really impressive scope of the book.
March 18, 2020
636 pages
4 stars
Don't worry, the book is nearly half extensive citations and a copious bibliography. The author does a remarkable job researching his subject. Frankly, I was surprised to see just how much intensive studying he must have done to put this book together.
The focus of this book is what we call the “Middle Ages.” The reader learns about the importance of making the “right” marriage and having the all important sons to inherit the throne. Certainly a woman could not effectively rule. The debate about marrying within the realm or taking a bride from another kingdom was very interesting. I did not realize that it was such an important factor in choosing a bride. There are other subjects covered as well, speaking of many aspects of kingship.
However, the only drawback I can comment on is that the text is so dry I could hear the rustling as I turned the pages on my Kindle. I recommend this book not for the casual reader, but for the serious student of this period in time.
Very well done, Professor Bartlett.
I want to thank NetGalley and Cambridge University Press for forwarding to me a copy of this fascinating book for me to read, enjoy and review.
4 stars
Don't worry, the book is nearly half extensive citations and a copious bibliography. The author does a remarkable job researching his subject. Frankly, I was surprised to see just how much intensive studying he must have done to put this book together.
The focus of this book is what we call the “Middle Ages.” The reader learns about the importance of making the “right” marriage and having the all important sons to inherit the throne. Certainly a woman could not effectively rule. The debate about marrying within the realm or taking a bride from another kingdom was very interesting. I did not realize that it was such an important factor in choosing a bride. There are other subjects covered as well, speaking of many aspects of kingship.
However, the only drawback I can comment on is that the text is so dry I could hear the rustling as I turned the pages on my Kindle. I recommend this book not for the casual reader, but for the serious student of this period in time.
Very well done, Professor Bartlett.
I want to thank NetGalley and Cambridge University Press for forwarding to me a copy of this fascinating book for me to read, enjoy and review.
September 28, 2023
Robert Bartlett's Blood Royal is a sprawling history of dynastic politics in medieval Europe has much to recommend it. Rather than concentrating on merely England, France, and Germany as many "histories of the European Middle Ages" do, Bartlett's scope encompasses Ireland to Byzantium and everywhere in between (or almost; that he even touches on Iceland but omits Kyivan Rus' is odd). The breadth of his coverage, both geographical and topical, verges on the encyclopaedic, and anyone who's read his work before will be unsurprised to hear that he has a great eye for the vivid anecdote.
But I'll be honest and say that having read scholarship by Barlett before, I was expecting more from this book. That I can describe it as verging on the encyclopaedic also points to one of the big issues with this book: it is a work of sprawling description rather than of analysis. I'm not quite sure who it's aimed for. It seems too long and dense to be read by the kind of general reader who would also watch one of Bartlett's BBC documentaries, but for the academic reader it seems to lack much by way of driving thrust. It's not a bad book by any means, and I'll gladly keep my copy around for reference, but I wasn't as impressed by this as I'd hoped to be.
But I'll be honest and say that having read scholarship by Barlett before, I was expecting more from this book. That I can describe it as verging on the encyclopaedic also points to one of the big issues with this book: it is a work of sprawling description rather than of analysis. I'm not quite sure who it's aimed for. It seems too long and dense to be read by the kind of general reader who would also watch one of Bartlett's BBC documentaries, but for the academic reader it seems to lack much by way of driving thrust. It's not a bad book by any means, and I'll gladly keep my copy around for reference, but I wasn't as impressed by this as I'd hoped to be.
April 11, 2020
This will make a must have resource / reference for those with a penchant for medieval history. It is extremely well researched - so all the hard work is done for you - and is extensively noted with a comprehensive bibliography. There are many unique examples peppered throughout to support the information - so not just the standard, more familiar dynasties - which is easy to both read and understand. Definitely one for my own personal library.
see fuller review here @ Melisende's Library
see fuller review here @ Melisende's Library
October 9, 2020
Blood Royal is a complete and detailed work, written by an obviously very enthusiastic and passionate historian and researcher. The last third of this book consists of a detailed overview of notes, a few family trees and an extensive bibliography. This will more than please history students and history enthusiasts alike.
From the first chapter onwards I felt like being slapped around my face with anecdote after anecdote after anecdote about a multitude of royals, from Ireland to Byzanthium and from Norway to Sicily, all between the years approx. 500 to 1480. Overall the strongest focus is on the period between the 9th and the 13th centuries.
I understand why Bartlett decided to divide his work up in different topics, and consequently didn't follow a chronological pattern. The idea is sensible.
However, due to the amount of detail and the great quantity of the royals discussed, and all their background stories, it felt a bit chaotic and a bit much sometimes to keep track of everything.
Perhaps another reason for this perceived 'chaos' is the writing style: who is the audience Bartlett had in mind when writing this book? Sometimes it feels like a work by a serious historian writing for a generation of students. At other times in the book he tries to be a bit funny and light and he gives the impression of having a popular audience in mind.
The cover doesn't give much of a clue either. It's so dull...you just don't expect such a wonderful and interesting work in there.
I'm so happy that between all the detail and anecdotes there is a fair share of analysis to be found. This enriches the work, gives it a deeper layer and makes it a valuable reference work for students and for the more serious history enthusiasts.
This was my first experience with Netgalley and with getting the opportunity to read an ARC. Such a cool experience!
From the first chapter onwards I felt like being slapped around my face with anecdote after anecdote after anecdote about a multitude of royals, from Ireland to Byzanthium and from Norway to Sicily, all between the years approx. 500 to 1480. Overall the strongest focus is on the period between the 9th and the 13th centuries.
I understand why Bartlett decided to divide his work up in different topics, and consequently didn't follow a chronological pattern. The idea is sensible.
However, due to the amount of detail and the great quantity of the royals discussed, and all their background stories, it felt a bit chaotic and a bit much sometimes to keep track of everything.
Perhaps another reason for this perceived 'chaos' is the writing style: who is the audience Bartlett had in mind when writing this book? Sometimes it feels like a work by a serious historian writing for a generation of students. At other times in the book he tries to be a bit funny and light and he gives the impression of having a popular audience in mind.
The cover doesn't give much of a clue either. It's so dull...you just don't expect such a wonderful and interesting work in there.
I'm so happy that between all the detail and anecdotes there is a fair share of analysis to be found. This enriches the work, gives it a deeper layer and makes it a valuable reference work for students and for the more serious history enthusiasts.
This was my first experience with Netgalley and with getting the opportunity to read an ARC. Such a cool experience!
May 29, 2020
Robert Bartlett writes books that are thoroughly researched and well written. This book "Blood Royal" is everything you ever wanted to know about European royalty. Not just Britain but the continent too. What I love about this book is it has a lot of material about women. Women as in marriage, childbirth, mistresses, illegitimate children, legitimate children, death in childbirth, and most interesting women sovereigns. It even addressed the homesickness of a teenaged bride leaving everything she knows and going to a strange land with strange customs and a language she does not speak to marry a man she does not know. Also, she was expected to put a brave face on it and make the best of it. Not for me or my daughters, thank you. There is so much information I did get bogged down and it took me a while to read this book but it was worth it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
September 26, 2020
Blood Royal By Robert Bartlett
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
Publication Date: 8/25/2020
** Thank you to Netgalley, Cambridge University Press, and of course, Robert Bartlett, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Medieval Europe has always fascinated me. Since my early ages of being passionate about history, I always went back to the time period where monarchy was the basis of politics, the Pope exercised the power of Europe, beautiful nobility danced around courts, and titles meant everything.
Robert Bartlett’s Blood Royal investigates all of the above. At the core is the history of bloodline and monarchy in the middle ages. Family politics intertwined with politics, specifically, who is given the role of king or queen. Christian kingdoms as well as Byzantium family dynasties are explored in this fascinating and comprehensive book.
A perfect example of the complex family dynasties in charge of Europe would be that of the Plantagenets (and the battle for power between cousins, known as the Wars of The Roses, and the infamous Henry VIII of the Tudors. We can never forget the quest for a son which lead to two beheadings, a new country-wide religion, and countless exiles (and, one of the most infamous Queens of English history!)
Family issues are always at the core of any dynasty, but what happens when they rule a land?
Great book!
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
Publication Date: 8/25/2020
** Thank you to Netgalley, Cambridge University Press, and of course, Robert Bartlett, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Medieval Europe has always fascinated me. Since my early ages of being passionate about history, I always went back to the time period where monarchy was the basis of politics, the Pope exercised the power of Europe, beautiful nobility danced around courts, and titles meant everything.
Robert Bartlett’s Blood Royal investigates all of the above. At the core is the history of bloodline and monarchy in the middle ages. Family politics intertwined with politics, specifically, who is given the role of king or queen. Christian kingdoms as well as Byzantium family dynasties are explored in this fascinating and comprehensive book.
A perfect example of the complex family dynasties in charge of Europe would be that of the Plantagenets (and the battle for power between cousins, known as the Wars of The Roses, and the infamous Henry VIII of the Tudors. We can never forget the quest for a son which lead to two beheadings, a new country-wide religion, and countless exiles (and, one of the most infamous Queens of English history!)
Family issues are always at the core of any dynasty, but what happens when they rule a land?
Great book!
August 13, 2020
Blood Royal speaks about the importance of monarchies in Medieval Europe, and the relationships between royal families.
As an aid history reader, most books that I read on royal family history is about Henry the VIII, Mary of Tudor, or Queen Victoria. I haven't read very many books focusing on the earlier pieces of the middle ages. It was great to get some more information on Europe's history, and the amount of research done for this single book was exceptional! The book touched on many topics surrounding royal blood, and the explanations were splendid.
I hope this author writes more on other royal families around the world, I think they would do a great job on both the research, and the execution!
4.5 stars, rounded down.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Cambridge University Press for the egalley of this book!
As an aid history reader, most books that I read on royal family history is about Henry the VIII, Mary of Tudor, or Queen Victoria. I haven't read very many books focusing on the earlier pieces of the middle ages. It was great to get some more information on Europe's history, and the amount of research done for this single book was exceptional! The book touched on many topics surrounding royal blood, and the explanations were splendid.
I hope this author writes more on other royal families around the world, I think they would do a great job on both the research, and the execution!
4.5 stars, rounded down.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Cambridge University Press for the egalley of this book!
November 21, 2022
Blood Royal is a thorough and detailed history of the European monarchies in the medieval period--and for once, an author understands that "Europe" included far more states than those that later developed into England and France, so his analysis includes Irish, Polish, Sicilian, Castilian, and other rulers and dynasties. This book is not for someone looking for a quick overview of this topic, as the information is detailed, but interesting.
June 9, 2022
Really enjoyed this, very interesting.
February 24, 2022
Review cross-posted from my blog at: https://www.stuartellisgorman.com/blo...
I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for two of the lectures where Robert Bartlett presented some of the initial drafts of the work that would become Blood Royal. In particular, his discussion of the use of regnal numbering in medieval Europe, from its origins in the papacy to its later adoption by various monarchies, was one of the most interesting talks I’ve ever attended. I’d been looking forward to this book ever since it was implied at the final talk that one would be forthcoming, and while I had to wait quite a while the final product did not disappoint.
I would recommend reading Blood Royal for the bit on royal numbering alone, but I appreciate that not everyone is as interested in the subject as I am, but if you have ever wondered why the fifth English king named Edward is known as Edward the First then Blood Royal has the answer! It also offers far more of interest than just that, including an amazing section on the phenomenon of royal pretenders – that is people pretending to be deceased kings and claiming the throne from the reigning monarch.
Blood Royal is split into two sections, the first focusing on the specific lives of medieval royals, with chapters on medieval marriage, children, paternal relationships, as well as female rulers and mistresses. The second section covers dynasties rather than individuals. It is in this latter section that you’ll find discussions of names and numbers, pretenders, as well as heraldry and even the role of prophecy and astrology in medieval dynastic politics.
The scope of Blood Royal is immense. Bartlett includes early medieval dynasties like the Merovingians and Carolingians alongside later examples like the Plantagenets and the Hohenstaufen. Bartlett also incorporates an impressive range of dynasties from across medieval Europe, not limiting himself to just the French, English, and German royal families. Overall, it makes for a very impressive piece of scholarship from a senior historian, but one that is written in a very approachable and engaging fashion. The breadth of the coverage means that no matter where your interest in medieval Europe lies there’s probably something relevant to it in Blood Royal.
Blood Royal is an excellent book for anyone who has ever had a question about medieval monarchy. If you’ve ever wondered how medieval marriages worked, the politics of dynastic succession, or even something as simple as what happened when the current monarch died then Bartlett’s book probably has an answer for you. It is a fascinating and impressive work that answers so many questions all of us, historians and enthusiasts alike, have wondered about medieval monarchy. It was one of the best books I read in 2021 and I cannot recommend it enough.
I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for two of the lectures where Robert Bartlett presented some of the initial drafts of the work that would become Blood Royal. In particular, his discussion of the use of regnal numbering in medieval Europe, from its origins in the papacy to its later adoption by various monarchies, was one of the most interesting talks I’ve ever attended. I’d been looking forward to this book ever since it was implied at the final talk that one would be forthcoming, and while I had to wait quite a while the final product did not disappoint.
I would recommend reading Blood Royal for the bit on royal numbering alone, but I appreciate that not everyone is as interested in the subject as I am, but if you have ever wondered why the fifth English king named Edward is known as Edward the First then Blood Royal has the answer! It also offers far more of interest than just that, including an amazing section on the phenomenon of royal pretenders – that is people pretending to be deceased kings and claiming the throne from the reigning monarch.
Blood Royal is split into two sections, the first focusing on the specific lives of medieval royals, with chapters on medieval marriage, children, paternal relationships, as well as female rulers and mistresses. The second section covers dynasties rather than individuals. It is in this latter section that you’ll find discussions of names and numbers, pretenders, as well as heraldry and even the role of prophecy and astrology in medieval dynastic politics.
The scope of Blood Royal is immense. Bartlett includes early medieval dynasties like the Merovingians and Carolingians alongside later examples like the Plantagenets and the Hohenstaufen. Bartlett also incorporates an impressive range of dynasties from across medieval Europe, not limiting himself to just the French, English, and German royal families. Overall, it makes for a very impressive piece of scholarship from a senior historian, but one that is written in a very approachable and engaging fashion. The breadth of the coverage means that no matter where your interest in medieval Europe lies there’s probably something relevant to it in Blood Royal.
Blood Royal is an excellent book for anyone who has ever had a question about medieval monarchy. If you’ve ever wondered how medieval marriages worked, the politics of dynastic succession, or even something as simple as what happened when the current monarch died then Bartlett’s book probably has an answer for you. It is a fascinating and impressive work that answers so many questions all of us, historians and enthusiasts alike, have wondered about medieval monarchy. It was one of the best books I read in 2021 and I cannot recommend it enough.
January 12, 2022
I love a medieval history book that starts with women: Part 1 is divided into chapters named Choosing a Bride, Waiting for Sons to be Born, Fathers and Sons, Female Sovereigns, Mistresses & Bastards, Family Dynamics, and Royal Mortality. Women lead "the life cycle" -- I find this choice of order refreshing.
Robert Bartlett has written both narrative and subject-driven histories, and Blood Royal is organized by topics, as is his England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings. While the reader doesn't follow an easy timeline, ideas are discussed in full and the book is both readable and easily used as a reference. Part 2 covers "A Sense of Dynasty," which provides information on topics such as how kings are numbered, when a family started being referred to as a dynasty, and examples of pretenders. The Appendices and Notes are helpful.
In a practical voice which is allowed occasional gentle humor, Bartlett reasons with his characters and their situations. He allows much leeway when he discusses possible motives; after all, one of his points is how tricky the idea is that generations of kingly fathers could produce first (or surviving) sons to inherit the kingship for hopefully hundreds of years. For instance, he suggests that several Queens now remembered as being chaste in marriage may simply have been in barren marriages (whether caused by husband or wife).
Possibly homosexual kings are mentioned in the case of kings who neither married nor appeared to have children, specifically, Athelstan and William Rufus both of England. Bartlett offers what was said about William Rufus at the time, then moves on. I would have liked a bit more discussion: certainly, Athelstan (1) was an outsider from a first marriage who had to claim the throne from a younger half-brother and perhaps leave another to drown, and (2) had so many younger half-brothers that his successor was ready and waiting to rule when Athelstan died. Perhaps Athelstan thought that fathering a child would lead to certain death for his son or daughter. In William Rufus's case, I wonder whether he just wasn't interested in the future. Yes, he may have been homosexual, but other supposed homosexuals have had children. I'm surprised that Bartlett doesn't consider the possibility that some kings just didn't look ahead from their own lives and times.
My thoughts as I read Blood Royal kept wandering to the myths we still carry on today in family dynasties and expectations of first borns, later borns, girls, boys, and others. As Bartlett shows in Blood Royal, dynasties are an extremely risky business.
Robert Bartlett has written both narrative and subject-driven histories, and Blood Royal is organized by topics, as is his England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings. While the reader doesn't follow an easy timeline, ideas are discussed in full and the book is both readable and easily used as a reference. Part 2 covers "A Sense of Dynasty," which provides information on topics such as how kings are numbered, when a family started being referred to as a dynasty, and examples of pretenders. The Appendices and Notes are helpful.
In a practical voice which is allowed occasional gentle humor, Bartlett reasons with his characters and their situations. He allows much leeway when he discusses possible motives; after all, one of his points is how tricky the idea is that generations of kingly fathers could produce first (or surviving) sons to inherit the kingship for hopefully hundreds of years. For instance, he suggests that several Queens now remembered as being chaste in marriage may simply have been in barren marriages (whether caused by husband or wife).
Possibly homosexual kings are mentioned in the case of kings who neither married nor appeared to have children, specifically, Athelstan and William Rufus both of England. Bartlett offers what was said about William Rufus at the time, then moves on. I would have liked a bit more discussion: certainly, Athelstan (1) was an outsider from a first marriage who had to claim the throne from a younger half-brother and perhaps leave another to drown, and (2) had so many younger half-brothers that his successor was ready and waiting to rule when Athelstan died. Perhaps Athelstan thought that fathering a child would lead to certain death for his son or daughter. In William Rufus's case, I wonder whether he just wasn't interested in the future. Yes, he may have been homosexual, but other supposed homosexuals have had children. I'm surprised that Bartlett doesn't consider the possibility that some kings just didn't look ahead from their own lives and times.
My thoughts as I read Blood Royal kept wandering to the myths we still carry on today in family dynasties and expectations of first borns, later borns, girls, boys, and others. As Bartlett shows in Blood Royal, dynasties are an extremely risky business.
October 31, 2021
Even if you're interested in Medieval History, this may seem like a pretty boring slog. But it actually works very well.
The organizing framework allows the author to present a constant stream of facts, factoids, stories, rumors, legends, without you ever feeling like you've lost your place or that you need to keep track of the details. Even though the book is nothing but details, the big picture is easy to hold onto, while the stream of details mostly proves the big picture points and you don't feel guilty at forgetting each detail.
Definitely not a book for a beginner; if you don't know what the Holy Roman Empire was, if the term Angevin Empire means nothing to you, start with "An Introduction to ..." sort of book (or listen to two or three course from The Teaching Company, which covers this period fairly well).
But not only a book for specialists! If you do know the basic background, this book does a great job of contextualizing much of what you know.
It's also a remarkable introduction to/reminder of just how different the world can be and has been. One of the amazing facts of our time is just how completely decoupled is our politics today from the personal lives of our leaders. You may not think this in the light of eg Clinton or Trump accusations, but these are minor petty squabbles; no-one expects that the US (or most other countries, including even monarchies like eg the UK or Japan or Thailand, or even Saudi Arabia) might collapse into civil war or be invaded because the president fails to have a male heir, or marries a partner from the wrong country. And yet for ~1000 years, that's pretty much exactly how Europe lived, and it was literally a matter of life or death as to who had been pregnant or became pregnant, and by whom.
It's valuable to be clubbed over the head occasionally, to be reminded of just how different a country the past was, not just the 21st C but with funny clothes and no iPhones!
The organizing framework allows the author to present a constant stream of facts, factoids, stories, rumors, legends, without you ever feeling like you've lost your place or that you need to keep track of the details. Even though the book is nothing but details, the big picture is easy to hold onto, while the stream of details mostly proves the big picture points and you don't feel guilty at forgetting each detail.
Definitely not a book for a beginner; if you don't know what the Holy Roman Empire was, if the term Angevin Empire means nothing to you, start with "An Introduction to ..." sort of book (or listen to two or three course from The Teaching Company, which covers this period fairly well).
But not only a book for specialists! If you do know the basic background, this book does a great job of contextualizing much of what you know.
It's also a remarkable introduction to/reminder of just how different the world can be and has been. One of the amazing facts of our time is just how completely decoupled is our politics today from the personal lives of our leaders. You may not think this in the light of eg Clinton or Trump accusations, but these are minor petty squabbles; no-one expects that the US (or most other countries, including even monarchies like eg the UK or Japan or Thailand, or even Saudi Arabia) might collapse into civil war or be invaded because the president fails to have a male heir, or marries a partner from the wrong country. And yet for ~1000 years, that's pretty much exactly how Europe lived, and it was literally a matter of life or death as to who had been pregnant or became pregnant, and by whom.
It's valuable to be clubbed over the head occasionally, to be reminded of just how different a country the past was, not just the 21st C but with funny clothes and no iPhones!
October 18, 2021
Just a word for readers: this is not a general history. As the title suggests it is very specifically focused on politics and dynasties. Those looking for a general history of the period would be better off reading Dan Jones "Powers and Thrones".
Blood Royal is an incredible tour de Force through the complicated, murky and merciless world of Medieval Dynastic politics. It covers everything from the rules of sucession and the roles of women, as well as women who broke the mold and ruled for themselves, or played a role in shaping dynasties.
Also explored are role of the church, the place of illegitimate children, usurpers and pretenders, the merits and weaknesses of different political systems and traditions.
There is no judgement, just a guide to the variious families, tribes, and dynasties who became rulers of Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire, from Hungary to England and Scotland. The brutal and ruthless nature of dynastic politics inevitably emerges, with quotes about how it was unwise to leave sons alive when you killed a father, or mentions of the Byzantines favourite method of getting rid of inconvenient royals: blinding.
Professor Bartlett has covered the subject in the erudite, authoritative yet approachable style that those of us who grew up watching the documentaries he hosted know and love.
Grateful thanks to Cambridge University Press for approving my request for this title. I was not required to write a review, but I may well be investing in the paperback edition of this title to add to my shelves.
Blood Royal is an incredible tour de Force through the complicated, murky and merciless world of Medieval Dynastic politics. It covers everything from the rules of sucession and the roles of women, as well as women who broke the mold and ruled for themselves, or played a role in shaping dynasties.
Also explored are role of the church, the place of illegitimate children, usurpers and pretenders, the merits and weaknesses of different political systems and traditions.
There is no judgement, just a guide to the variious families, tribes, and dynasties who became rulers of Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire, from Hungary to England and Scotland. The brutal and ruthless nature of dynastic politics inevitably emerges, with quotes about how it was unwise to leave sons alive when you killed a father, or mentions of the Byzantines favourite method of getting rid of inconvenient royals: blinding.
Professor Bartlett has covered the subject in the erudite, authoritative yet approachable style that those of us who grew up watching the documentaries he hosted know and love.
Grateful thanks to Cambridge University Press for approving my request for this title. I was not required to write a review, but I may well be investing in the paperback edition of this title to add to my shelves.
October 1, 2022
Bartlett takes the reader on a guided tour of dynastic history in medieval Europe from the 6th-16th centuries, including the Byzantine Empire. His research has been prodigious, and I have never read a more lucid explanation as to how dynasties and succession operated at various periods. I was surprised by how late primogeniture arrived at the party, along with how soon even rudimentary family trees were considered necessary. Crowns passed to various branches of families depending upon procreative success, although there were a fair share of usurpations along the way. However, few monarchs whose birth was considered illegitimate actually succeeded to a throne. And because marriage was sacramental, it could not be considered valid if the bride and groom fell within insanely broad consanguinity history. This makes the Hapsburgs' marital history all the more remarkable.
Bartlett is also occasionally very funny about some of the more bizarre practices, but for the most part he is content mostly to be thorough in his research/examples. He is correct about the one or two dynasties with which I have some familiarity (Angevins, Plantagenets, Tudors), which leaves me inclined to trust his examples from those I do not.
This is definitely a niche book, but also a surprisingly interesting analysis of an important component of medieval life throughout the era. I recommend it for medievalists.
Bartlett is also occasionally very funny about some of the more bizarre practices, but for the most part he is content mostly to be thorough in his research/examples. He is correct about the one or two dynasties with which I have some familiarity (Angevins, Plantagenets, Tudors), which leaves me inclined to trust his examples from those I do not.
This is definitely a niche book, but also a surprisingly interesting analysis of an important component of medieval life throughout the era. I recommend it for medievalists.
August 18, 2020
I received Blood Royal as part of a NetGalley giveaway.
A sweeping look the dynastic politics of (mostly) medieval (mostly) Europe, covering a wide range of issues--from (il)legitimacy, lines of inheritance, familiar rivalries, the role of women, the relationship between the Church and rulers/territories, and much more.
I love this period and subject, so I found this an enjoyable read despite its breadth and depth. It's organized by subject rather than time, so in a single section you may hear anecdotes from 10th century Byzantium, 12th century France, and 14th century Bohemia. I was fine with this setup, but it can feel a little frenetic. It's definitely one of those books where I had to find a quiet place and really focus without a lot of distractions. I could see where some people used to a rolling narrative might find it dry, but as a fan I found it fascinating, particularly the coverage of less-well-known territories and rulers from Central and Southern Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the holy lands.
A sweeping look the dynastic politics of (mostly) medieval (mostly) Europe, covering a wide range of issues--from (il)legitimacy, lines of inheritance, familiar rivalries, the role of women, the relationship between the Church and rulers/territories, and much more.
I love this period and subject, so I found this an enjoyable read despite its breadth and depth. It's organized by subject rather than time, so in a single section you may hear anecdotes from 10th century Byzantium, 12th century France, and 14th century Bohemia. I was fine with this setup, but it can feel a little frenetic. It's definitely one of those books where I had to find a quiet place and really focus without a lot of distractions. I could see where some people used to a rolling narrative might find it dry, but as a fan I found it fascinating, particularly the coverage of less-well-known territories and rulers from Central and Southern Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the holy lands.
May 20, 2020
With a focus on medieval Europe, Blood Royal by Robert Bartlett takes on the system of monarchies and how families were shapes by births, marriages and deaths. Monarchies were the essence of medieval Europe.
It is an in-depth look at the way monarchy works, and I was delighted to find that the book did not solely focus on the United Kingdom. The research can only be described as meticulous as about a third of the book's pages are for the many, many sources. This book would have worked well, but I found it quite dry, and after a while, I was flipping through to the next chapter hoping it would be a little bit more enticing.
Overall, it is an excellent reference work but not quite suitable for the casual reader.
It is an in-depth look at the way monarchy works, and I was delighted to find that the book did not solely focus on the United Kingdom. The research can only be described as meticulous as about a third of the book's pages are for the many, many sources. This book would have worked well, but I found it quite dry, and after a while, I was flipping through to the next chapter hoping it would be a little bit more enticing.
Overall, it is an excellent reference work but not quite suitable for the casual reader.
September 28, 2020
What a pleasure for a history nerd! This was such a well researched and immersive read, I am no real student of history but more of a casual learner and this exceeded my expectations by with the level of depth of coverage to each section, the notion of how royalty became royalty, was always a rather vague one for me and this book not only put it in perspective but organized it’s logic in an easily followed pattern. Very much of a good read,
January 8, 2021
Overall this book was very well written and the reader really gets to appreciate all of the research. The book was organized beautifully. I would strongly recommend any potential reader to already be familiar with Byzantium, French, Iberian, and English medieval history.
March 14, 2021
Though probably an excellent primer for people curious about how Medieval Europe understood royalty, this anecdote heavy book is a little thin on analysis or deep understanding of how everything fit into a general worldview. Very rich in color with some great stories.
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February 25, 2023"In the year 1000, if one excludes the numerous small kingdoms of the Celtic world, there were eleven kingdoms in Latin Christian Europe" (43)
(43) Leon, Navarre, France, Burgundy, the Empire (Germany and northern Italy), England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Hungary.
(43) Leon, Navarre, France, Burgundy, the Empire (Germany and northern Italy), England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Hungary.
May 22, 2023
The most fun I had in ages (with the added caveat that this would be a boring-ass for people who don’t enjoy tracing family trees, because the author does jump around loads and it’d be hard to follow along without having done previous research.)
January 25, 2021
An interesting book with a lot of amusing anecdotes, though a lot of it reads as a series of examples rather than necessarily as a cohesive narrative or structure. Still decent though.
March 21, 2021
Well written and full of fascinating details and stories about mediaeval European royals.
August 29, 2022
My factual fave. My source among sources. Robert Bartlett, as long as you keep writing giant tomes about medieval Europe, I will keep reading them.
August 28, 2022
an excellent guide to european dynastic politics, with a stream of situations medieval rulers faced and examples of how the problems were dealt with. the scope of the book is big, spanning a millenium across most of europe, all the way from ireland to byzantium. an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in royal families.
March 25, 2020
A very detailed look into the practicalities of blood succession and monarchies. While most people commonly understand that monarchs were usually male, and usually preferred sons, this book delves into the nitty gritty of what made monarchies function. While the approach is scholarly, a casual reader should be able navigate the text pretty easily, though it is a bit dry. The focus of the book is broken up by subject and any ruler that fits the subject is discussed within that chapter. This will make it easy for a student to turn to the relevant chapter and read the examples of say a king co-ruling with a crowned son during his lifetime, but makes for a somewhat confusing and distracting approach for someone reading it cover to cover. Monarchs come up and then the focus skips ahead a century, then the next chapter that previously discussed monarch reappears again without much introduction. With so many similarly named monarchs, jumping from country to country and century to century can be frustrating to read and keep track of. This is really my only complaint about this well researched and interesting book. It adds a lot of insight into how biology contributed to the state of nations, and how each monarch and their respective monarchy differed from others in subtle ways. Definitely a great read for those interested in how ancient monarchies functioned, and how they have shaped both past events and the basis for surviving modern monarchies.
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