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Title details for In the Shadow of the Empress by Nancy Goldstone - Available

In the Shadow of the Empress

The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters

by Nancy Goldstone
Emma Newman
Audiobook
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The vibrant, sprawling saga of Empress Maria Theresa—one of the most renowned women rulers in history—and three of her extraordinary daughters: elegant and artistic Maria Christina, duchess of Teschen; Maria Carolina, courageous queen of Naples; and world-famous Marie Antoinette, doomed queen of France.Out of the thrilling and tempestuous eighteenth century comes the sweeping family saga of beautiful Maria Theresa, a sovereign of uncommon strength and vision, the only woman ever to inherit and rule the vast Habsburg Empire in her own name, and three of her remarkable daughters: lovely, talented Maria Christina, governor-general of the Austrian Netherlands; spirited Maria Carolina, the resolute queen of Naples; and the youngest, Marie Antoinette, the glamorous, tragic queen of France, and perhaps the most famous princess in history. Unfolding against an irresistible backdrop of brilliant courts from Vienna to Versailles, embracing the exotic lure of Naples and Sicily, this epic history of Maria Theresa and her daughters is a tour de force of desire, adventure, ambition, treachery, sorrow, and glory. Each of these women's lives was packed with passion and heart-stopping suspense. Maria Theresa inherited her father's thrones at the age of twenty-three and was immediately attacked on all sides by foreign powers confident that a woman would to be too weak to defend herself. Maria Christina, a gifted artist who alone among her sisters succeeded in marrying for love, would face the same dangers that destroyed the monarchy in France. Resourceful Maria Carolina would usher in the golden age of Naples only to face the deadly whirlwind of Napoleon. And, finally, Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen whose stylish excesses and captivating notoriety have masked the truth about her husband and herself for two hundred and fifty years. Vividly written and deeply researched, In the Shadow of the Empress is the riveting story of four exceptional women who changed the course of history.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 21, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781549194047
      • File size: 666407 KB
      • Duration: 23:08:20

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This lengthy audiobook about Maria Theresa, the eighteenth-century empress of the Austrian empire, and her progeny is both soundly researched and widely speculative. It is performed by Emma Newman, whose bright, animated voice directs listeners across the map of Europe, humanizing history and presenting a panoramic view of powerful queens confronting the military and political crises of the era. The author quotes from diaries, memoirs, and contemporary historical papers, but she also interjects her own suppositions on topics such as the paternity of the dauphin and the autism of Louis XVI. Listeners will enjoy hearing the regal, sometimes exhausted, sometimes annoyed voice of Maria Theresa, matriarch of an amazing family. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from May 31, 2021
      Historian Goldstone (Daughters of the Winter Queen) recounts in this fascinating saga the personalities and power struggles of Maria Theresa, ruler of the Habsburg Empire, and three of her daughters, each of whom served as official or de facto rulers of their own realms during periods of upheaval. Maria Theresa (1717–1780) learned boldness from countering Prussian king Frederick the Great’s incessant attacks, and honed her diplomatic skills as she sought to retain the loyalty of her sprawling empire’s subjects. Stalwart Maria Christina (1742–1798) ensured a strong alliance between the Austrian Netherlands and her family’s other territories, while energetic Maria Carolina (1752–1814) ushered in the “Golden Age of Naples” before the kingdom was conquered by Napoleon—who married into the family he overthrew. In Goldstone’s compassionate retelling, French queen Marie Antoinette (1755–1793) transitioned from a frivolous high-spender into a more serious sovereign, but was doomed to the guillotine by her early reputation. Adding wry humor to her lucid narrative, Goldstone clarifies the era’s complex politics and pinpoints how these commanding women helped give shape to modern Europe. This mesmerizing history isn’t to be missed. Agent: Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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