The Queens of England (Vol. 1-3)

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.

Agnes Strickland (1796 - 1874) was an English writer, historian and poet. She is particularly remembered for her Lives of the Queens of England, but was also popular a the author of the historical books for children. Her laborious researches into historical matters are full of interesting details and are based exclusively on the facts, and therefore are important as a source of valuable insights. Also, the works of Strickland open the era of the writing the English history by women.