{"product_id":"empress-matilda-elisabeth-van-houts-9780300266085","title":"Empress Matilda: Queen of the Romans, Ruler of the English","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn authoritative new biography of Empress Matilda\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Born in 1102, Empress Matilda combined the blood of two dynasties: the house of Wessex and their conquerors, the dukes of Normandy. As a widowed German empress, she was named as heir successor by her father, Henry I. But, after his death in 1135, Matilda's place on the English throne was usurped by her cousin, Stephen of Blois. Civil war followed, and she ruled the south-west of England in opposition. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Elisabeth van Houts explores the remarkable life of medieval England's only queen regnant. Van Houts examines female rulership in the Middle Ages, from Matilda's relationships with her husbands, to her self-identification as granddaughter of William the Conqueror. Matilda used her persuasiveness effectively with the men who surrounded her, including her father, husbands, half-brothers and cousins. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This is a fascinating account, which reveals Matilda to be an assertive, if on occasion disappointed, woman who made the best of her position with intelligence and stamina.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Elisabeth Van Houts\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0300266081\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780300266085\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Yale University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/14\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 464\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover","brand":"Elisabeth Van Houts","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":47965475897599,"sku":"9780300266085","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_bdd5a585-7d56-4076-bf45-75bd0427fbb1.jpg?v=1767280822","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/empress-matilda-elisabeth-van-houts-9780300266085","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}