The Forgotten Rivalries of the Heroines of 1066
Joanna Courtney talks about how rivalry plays a key part in her trilogy, The Queens of Conquest.
Joanna Courtney talks about how rivalry plays a key part in her historical trilogy, The Queens of Conquest.
Rivalry – is there anything more deliciously, thrillingly, gossipy? Be it healthy competition between sports stars, candidates fighting for the same job, or friends scrapping over a man, there is something gripping about the stories of rivals. One of the fascinations of 1066 is what it would have been like ‘if one of the others had won’. How would England have stood down the ages if Harold of Wessex had held onto the crown for the English? Or if the fearsome Harald Hardrada had seized it for the Vikings? Did the best man win? And yet, there’s another question too, often overlooked – did the best woman win?
Women make compelling rivals. We all love to see Usain Bolt streak down the track but the line-up of female stars for the 100m is sharp and glamorous and the gritted-teeth hugs at the end create a wonderful frisson. We all, however illicitly, love to read about Angelina vs Jennifer, and the sharp presence of Deborah Meaden always spices up Dragon’s Den. Women with their claws out are exciting and I hope readers of The Queens of the Conquest can enjoy the rivalry of three enigmatic rulers, not Olympians or executives or film stars, but queens wielding real power both in England and across Europe.
Edyth, the heroine of The Chosen Queen, was the only daughter of the powerful Earl of central England and became Queen of Wales at the age of 14. She reigned there for 9 years and gave birth to 3 heirs before losing her husband to the English and being returned to her homeland. Back there, still only 23, she was the only woman powerful enough to help Harold join North and South to make England strong enough to resist invaders. Edyth was carrying Harold’s son when he died on Hastings field and had history been the turn of a sword different, she could have been the mother of a line of Saxon kings stretching who knows how far.
Elizaveta, the heroine of The Constant Queen, was a fiery and elegant Princess of Kievan Rus, a crucial power in central Europe. Born of royal Rus blood on her father’s side and Scandinavian on her mother’s, she was brought up to be a ruler. Having won the heart of Harald of Norway when he was exiled to her father’s court, she was at his side both when he reclaimed his own country and when he set sail to conquer England. A woman of drive and energy, she fuelled her husband’s ambitions and, with a network of sisters in all the royal courts of Europe, could have made England a highly cosmopolitan queen.
Finally, Matilda, the heroine of The Conqueror’s Queen, was the eldest daughter of the politically canny and influential Baldwin of Flanders and, with French royal blood flowing in her veins from her mother’s side, was also raised for a high place in the world. Although initially unwilling to marry Duke William because of his bastardy, she soon recognised in the young ruler a fierce and proud ambition to match her own. Together they set out to master Normandy and, eventually, to conquer England, the country they’d been promised by King Edward. As a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Alfred the Great, Matilda gave William a vital pedigree in his claim to the throne, but as his wife, she also gave him culture, stability and credibility to make him the viable ruler he became. The victory in 1066 was not just his, but theirs.
These women were rivals, as Venus and Serena Williams are rivals, and they were battling every bit as hard as the men in 1066, if not with swords then with the traditional women’s weapons of words, influence and charm. They may not have known each other but they did know that their own success would necessarily be at the expense of the others and so it eventually proved.
By the end of 1066 there would be two exiled widows and one queen. Did the best woman win? You’ll have to read the trilogy to decide.
The Chosen Queen
by Joanna Courtney
1066. Three Queens. One Crown.
As a young woman in England's royal court, Edyth, granddaughter of Lady Godiva, dreams of marrying for love. But political matches are rife while King Edward is still without an heir and the future of England is uncertain.
When Edyth's family are exiled to the wild Welsh court, she falls in love with the charismatic King of Wales - but their romance comes at a price and she is catapulted onto the opposing side of a bitter feud with England. Edyth's only allies are Earl Harold Godwinson and his handfasted wife, Lady Svana.
As the years pass, Edyth finds herself elevated to a position beyond even her greatest expectations. She enjoys both power and wealth but as her star rises the lines of love and duty become more blurred than she could ever have imagined. As 1066 dawns, Edyth is asked to make an impossible choice. Her decision is one that has the power to change the future of England forever . . .
The first book in The Queens of Conquest series, The Chosen Queen by Joanna Courtney is the perfect blend of history, fast-paced plot and sweeping romance with a cast of strong female characters - an unforgettable read. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Chadwick and Philippa Gregory.