Agnes Strickland's Queens of England

This book is a great introduction into the history of the British Empire and women who helped to shape it. The book starts with the very first queen in the history of Great Britain, Matilda of Flanders, the wife of William the conqueror, and goes through all the history, mentioning Berengaria of Navarre, the queen of the legendary king Ricard I and all the wives of Henry VIII among the others. The book is aimed at young adults and is written in a simple, understandable, and somewhat naïve manner characteristic of the Victorian-era books for young ladies. Yet, the light and relaxing tone of the book will make it interesting for adults seeking for an entertaining read with educational value. It contains a lot of captivating moments too. For example, the very first story of the book, tells that to win heart of her future queen, William the Conqueror, rolled her in mud and beat her.

Strickland was possibly the most celebrated English female historical biographer of the 19th Century. Antonia Fraser selects her best writing and explains its importance.