The Deadly Sisterhood: The Women Who Ruled Italy During the Renaissance
Author(s): Leonie Frieda
The book is one of drama on a grand scale, a Renaissance epic, as Christendom emerged from the shadows of the calamitous 14th century. The sweeping tale involves inspired and corrupt monarchs, the finest thinkers, the most brilliant artists, and the greatest beauties in Christendom. Here are the stories of its most remarkable women, who are all joined by birth, marriage and friendship and who ruled for a time in place of their men-folk: Lucrezia Turnabuoni (Queen Mother of Florence, the power behind the Medici throne), Clarice Orsini (Roman princess, feudal wife), Beatrice d'Este (Golden Girl of the Renaissance), Caterina Sforza (Lioness of the Romagna), Isabella d'Este (the Acquisitive Marchesa), Giulia Farnese ('la bella', the family asset), Isabella d'Aragona (the Weeping Duchess) and Lucrezia Borgia (the Virtuous Fury). The men play a secondary role in this grand saga; whenever possible the action is seen through the eyes our heroines. These eight women experienced great riches, power and the warm smile of fortune, but they also knew banishment, poverty, the death of a husband or the loss of one or more of their children. As each of the chosen heroines comes to the fore in her turn, she is handed the baton by her 'sister' and Leonie Frieda recounts the role each woman played in the hundred-year drama that is THE DEADLY SISTERHOOD.
Product Information
Leonie Frieda became a bestselling author with her first book, CATHERINE DE MEDICI, which reprinted six times in hardback Marvellous reviews: 'A most fascinating picture of French court life. The political complexities are kept mercifully clear, the main lines of rivalry sharp, the characters vivid' - Anne Wroe, Daily Telegraph 'This masterful and compelling biography...narrative history at its best, both scholarly and as captivating as a thriller. She has brought a largely forgotten heroine-villainess and a whole sumptuously vicious era to life again' - Simon Sebag Montefiore, Mail on Sunday Paperback has now sold 60,000 copies and is reprinting regularly RENAISSANCE WOMEN plays to author's strengths and her knowledge of this period of European history
Swedish by birth, but educated in Britain, Leonie Frieda speaks five languages and is a member of the Institute of Linguists. Her long interest in Catherine de Medici resulted in a biography that was a bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic and was translated into six languages. She lives in London with her daughter Elisabeth and son Jake.
General Fields
- :
- : Orion Publishing Co
- : Weidenfeld & Nicolson
- : 31 August 2012
- : 234mm X 153mm
- : United Kingdom
- : 01 November 2012
- : books
Special Fields
- : Leonie Frieda
- : Hardback
- : 1212
- : 945.05082
- : 512
- : 50