The Untold True History of Love, Power and Revenge Amidst the Gaslights & Carriages of Old Paris & Madrid that Changed the World from China to Mexico
If you think you know Paris and Madrid, think again
This is the book that unlocks the charm, romance, heart-ache and mysteries of Paris and Madrid that directly preceded the contemporary. After reading this incredible history, you'll never think of either city in the same way

'Hollman combines scrupulous research with spellbinding storytelling; The Queen and the Mistress will keep you turning the pages.' - Sylvia Barbara Soberton, author of Ladies-In-Waiting: The Women Who Served Anne Boleyn 'A must-read for anyone interested in medieval women's or royal history.' - Catherine Hanley, author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior 'In The Queen and the Mistress, Gemma Hollman challenges much of the misinformation and misconceptions which have surrounded both women for centuries ... A triumph of historical research and interpretation.' - Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England 'The Queen and the Mistress is an absorbing and masterful historical work, which you might not even notice because it is also incredibly fun. Hollman writes with obvious joy and sensitivity towards her subjects, bringing these complex women and their world to glorious life. I couldn't put it down.' - Eleanor Janega, Going Medieval Podcast IN A WORLD WHERE MAN IS KING, CAN WOMEN REALLY HAVE IT ALL - AND KEEP IT? Philippa of Hainault was Queen of England for forty-one years. Her marriage to Edward III, when they were both teenagers, was more political transaction than romantic wedding, but it would turn into a partnership of deep affection. The mother of twelve children, she was the perfect medieval queen: pious, unpolitical and fiercely loyal to both her king and adopted country. Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow and would soon catch the eye of an ageing king whose wife was dying. Born to a family of London goldsmiths, this charismatic and highly intelligent woman would use her position as the king's favourite to build up her own portfolio of land, wealth and prestige, only to see it all come crashing down as Edward himself neared death. The Queen and the Mistress is a story of female power and passion, and how two very different women used their skills and charms to navigate a tumultuous royal court - and win the heart of the same man.

THE NO 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A personal account of the life and character of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, from the writer who knew her family best 'Compelling . . . Fascinating' DAILY MAIL 'The writer who got closest to the human truth about our long-serving senior royals' THE TIMES 'The book overflows with nuggets of insider knowledge' TELEGRAPH Paints a unique picture of the remarkable woman who reigned for seven decades. Fascinating insights' HELLO! __________ Gyles Brandreth first met the Queen in 1968, when he was twenty. Over the next fifty years he met her many times, both at public and at private events. Through his friendship with the Duke of Edinburgh, he was given privileged access to Elizabeth II. He kept a record of all those encounters, and his conversations with the Queen over the years, his meetings with her family and friends, and his observations of her at close quarters are what make this very personal account of her extraordinary life uniquely fascinating. From her childhood in the 1920s to the era of Harry and Meghan in the 2020s, from her war years at Windsor Castle to her death at Balmoral, this is both a record of a tumultuous century of royal history and a truly intimate portrait of a remarkable woman. __________ Praise for Gyles Brandreth's bestselling royal writing: 'Beautifully written book. I have read many other books about Philip but this is the best' DAILY EXPRESS 'Brilliant, totally inspiring . . . It's a joy to read a book that comes from a perspective of fondness' KIRSTIE ALLSOPP, THE TIMES 'As a sparkling celebration of Prince Philip, the book will be hard to beat' TELEGRAPH 'So readable and refreshing even after the millions of words that have been written about Prince Philip in the past couple of weeks' THE TIMES 'Brilliant . . . There is so much in this book you won't find anywhere else' LORRAINE

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - On November 6, 1817, died the Princess Charlotte, only child of the Prince Regent, and heir to the crown of England. Her short life had hardly been a happy one. By nature impulsive, capricious, and vehement, she had always longed for liberty; and she had

Life in a castle isn't always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland vividly illustrates in her fascinating, revealing and funny autobiography. When Emma Watkins, the pony-mad daughter of a Welsh farmer, imagined her future, she imagined following in her mother's footsteps to marry a farmer of her own. But then she fell in love with David Manners, having no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior hereditary titles in the land. When David succeeded his father, Emma found herself becoming the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. She had to cope with five boisterous children while faced with a vast estate in desperate need of modernisation and staff who wanted nothing to change - it was a daunting responsibility. Yet with sound advice from the doyenne of duchesses, Duchess 'Debo' of Devonshire, she met each challenge with optimism and gusto, including scaling the castle roof in a storm to unclog a flooding gutter; being caught in her nightdress by mesmerised Texan tourists and disguising herself as a cleaner to watch filming of The Crown. She even took on the castle ghosts . . . At times the problems she faced seemed insoluble yet, with her unstoppable energy and talent for thinking on the hoof, she won through, inspired by the vision and passion of those Rutland duchesses in whose footsteps she trod, and indeed the redoubtable and resourceful women who forged her way, whose homes were not castles but remote farmhouses in the Radnorshire Hills. Vividly written and bursting with insights, The Accidental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has visited a stately home and wondered what it would be like to one day find yourself not only living there, but in charge of its future.

Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same. These were the words uttered by the seventeen-year-old Lady Jane Grey as she stood on the scaffold awaiting death on a cold February morning in 1554. Forced onto the throne by the great power players at court, Queen Jane reigned for just thirteen tumultuous days before being imprisoned in the Tower, condemned for high treason and executed. In this dramatic retelling of an often misread tale, historian and researcher Nicola Tallis explores a range of evidence that has never before been used in a biography to sweep away the many myths and reveal the moving, human story of an extraordinarily intelligent, independent and courageous young woman.

Pocket The Queen Wisdom is an inspiring collection of Her Majesty's best loved quotes on life, family, politics, fame and history, and celebrates her immense legacy. Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most important cultural and political icons in modern British history. As the United Kingdom's longest reigning monarch, she is known for her poise, wit and class. Some quotes from Queen Elizabeth II: 'Grief is the price we pay for love.' 'The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe and sometimes, pardon my language, kick some ass.' 'I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else - I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.' 'I have to be seen to be believed'

The title of Duke of York is traditionally assigned to the second son of the English monarch. But what exactly does a Duke of York do? Across the centuries dukes have served in the armed services on land, at sea and in the air. They have worked as diplomats and ambassadors and been patrons of the arts and sciences. Some have also been given more unusual jobs such as investigating murders, running a national lottery and supervising building at Westminster Abbey. Several have gone on to become king, including Henry VIII, Charles I and George VI. Some have died peacefully in their beds whilst others faced a brutal end. This handsome, case-bound volume containing over 450 meticulously researched pages takes a detailed and entertaining look at how the fourteen holders of the title from 1385 to the present have each sought to redefine the role and at the contribution each has made to the history of the country and the welfare of its people. All proceeds from the sale of this volume shall be donated to the On Course Foundation, a charity of which HRH The Duke of York is patron. Margaret Bolton is a specialist in the late medieval and early modern period with particular focus on the reigns of Richard II and Henry VIII. Her other research interests include the development of medical knowledge in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and the relationship between diet and disease in the seventeenth century.

At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the British government, alarmed at the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's association with the Nazis and the possibility that they would remove themselves to the United States to preach their pacifist (and slightly pro-German) credo, decided that a job had to be found for the ex-King Edward VIII. and his wife, the American, Wallis Simpson. He was appointed Governor of The Bahamas, one of the smallest and least important possessions of the British Empire, far away from the scene of battle.

Away from their sybaritic living in the south of France, the couple struggled unhappily with the very different lifestyle of minor colonial life. This story is of their successes and their failures during their last official service to The British--and of the only Royal Governor to have served in British colonial history.

Owen Platt's recounting of their escapades in wartime Bahamas is a fascinating insight into a little known aspect of British history.

In the tradition of Jo Ann Beard's "Boys of My Youth," and Mary Karr's"The""Liar's Club," Paula McLain has written a powerful and haunting memoir about the years she and her two sisters spent as foster children. In the early 70s, after being abandoned by both parents, the girls were made wards of the Fresno County, California court and spent the next 14 years-in a series of adoptive homes. The dislocations, confusions, and odd pleasures of an unrooted life form the basis of a captivating memoir. McLain's beautiful writing and limber voice capture the intense loneliness, sadness, and determination of a young girl both on her own and responsible, with her siblings, for staying together as a family.

Originally published in 1898. Author: Thomas Carlyle Language: English Keywords: Literature/ History Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Summary: Frustrations of a single woman and the Napoleonic heir of France that led to their marriage in the most magnificent wedding during the most romantic era of European history
Principals: Emperor Napoleon III; Eugenie de Montijo, Countess of Teba; and her girlhood and lifetime love, the Duke of Sesto
Theme: The ultimate unrequited love story: a woman who tried to commit suicide twice, devastated that the Dukes of Alba and Sesto each preferred her sister. Eugenie reluctantly agreed to marry Napoleon's nephew and emerged as one of the most powerful women in history.
Influence: The Vanderbilts and Astors spent millions copying her in Gilded Age Newport and New York. "It was the strange fate of Eugenie Marie de Montijo...to become known...as one of the greatest beauties of her time, and later...personally influential in European events and destinies of three generations..." (New York Times)
Unique Features: Recipe of original Imperial Wedding cake of 1853; recipe of Marie-Antoinette's favorite pastry
Timeliness: Current projects to rebuild the Tuileries Palace and the Palace of Saint-Cloud, art-filled historic monuments burned in war and terror; the Louvre recently paid $10.7 for one of Eugenie's brooches; Eugenie's items at Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., Louvre, Malmaison; Mexico and Cinco de Mayo; Imperial Wedding with 200,000 people at Notre-Dame Cathedral similar to Charles and Diana's in 1981 and Royal Wedding of 2011.
What other woman:
- Became Regent of France three times?
-Was the last woman to wear all the Crown Jewels of France including a 140.64 carat diamond?
- Lived in the Palaces of the Tuileries, Saint-Cloud, Fontainebleau and Compiegne?
- Used the Palace of Versailles for parties?
- Collected Marie-Antoinette's possessions?
- Used the Petit Trianon for her retreat?
- Was the first muse of French haute couture?
- Inspired Louis Vuitton, Creed, Guerlain, Christofle?
- Made Biarritz a jet-set destination?
- Had Washington Irving, Prosper Merimee and Stendhal as childhood story tellers?
- Belonged to families mentioned in Don Quixote?
- Was bridesmaid to Queen Isabel II of Spain?
- Urged occupation of Mexico and Cochin-China (Vietnam)?
- Forged a lifetime friendship with Queen Victoria?
- Made decisions leading to the Franco-Prussian War and the burning of Paris?
- Fled past 60,000 rioters and survived to age 94?

The author of this series has made it his special object to confine himself very strictly, even in the most minute details which he records, to historic truth. The narratives are not tales founded upon history, but history itself, without any embellishment or any deviations from the strict truth, so far as it can now be discovered by an attentive examination of the annals written at the time when the events themselves occurred. In writing the narratives, the author has endeavored to avail himself of the best sources of information which this country affords; and though, of course, there must be in these volumes, as in all historical accounts, more or less of imperfection and error, there is no intentional embellishment. Nothing is stated, not even the most minute and apparently imaginary details, without what was deemed good historical authority. The readers, therefore, may rely upon the record as the truth, and nothing but the truth, so far as an honest purpose and a careful examination have been effectual in ascertaining it.

Hoyt's biography, taking advantage of recent posthumous revelations of a Japanese foreign service diplomat, portrays Hirohito as a man of peace held captive by his role in Japanese society and government . . . "Library Journal

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A successful new book from a topnotch writer . . . "Booklist

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. . . provocative . . . "Kirkus Reviews

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Was Emperor Hirohito to blame for Japan's expansionist military policies--and its atrocities--in World War II? Was he out to make the world his empire? This most extensive biography of the emperor in English challenges portrayals of Hirohito as either an unworldly scientist or a swashbuckling conspirator who tried to conquer the globe with military might. Using sources uncovered as recently as 1991, Hoyt reveals that the emperor was fundamentally a peace-loving man caught in a turbulent period when the Japanese military gained extraordinary power. He became the virtual prisoner of an Imperial system that prevented him from leading his country into an era of peace and prosperity, his boyhood dream. Hoyt's account, backed by a decade of research, details the emperor's repeated attempts to thwart the Imperial Army's headlong drive toward war. Even when defeat was certain, Hoyt maintains, Hirohito had to outmaneuver the army in order to surrender to Allied forces. Only then, in postwar years, did the emperor see his wishes for his country come true.

To help the reader assess the emperor's life, Hoyt begins by examining the years preceding Hirohito's reign. He then focuses on the Manchurian incidents, the struggle for power in Japan, the China war, the global conflict and Japan's role in it, and the country's final capitulation. Critical passages on events preceding and during World War II, supported by the recently released diaries of men close to the emperor, detail the process by which Hirohito increasingly lost power as the army gained control. Turning his attention to the post-war years, Hoyt chronicles Japan's economic growth and the changing role of the emperor in Japanese society. Photographs from Japanese sources enhance the narrative. Hirohito: The Emperor and the Man offers new insight into the motives of a widely misunderstood leader. Hoyt's Hirohito is a quiet man with scholarly leanings; a patriot who loved his country but also admired Western qualities; a monarch who wished to act responsibly at a critical juncture but lacked the authority to do so.

At a time when trust and integrity is at an all time low, the light of Truth still prevails over the dawn of deception. The Bewitchments, enchantments, sorceries and charms may be ever so alluring and attractive until one cannot help but to be inundated by its graces. What human on earth does not desire Knowledge, Power and Prosperity? Who is not hungry for Love and Acceptance; and thirsty for the supernatural? There awaits in the spirit world angelic beings to accompany you on your journey of life into that unknown and intriguing realm; but will they be ministers of darkness ushering you to a darker doom of Bewitchment? Or will they be ministers of light ushering you into a brighter tomorrow? Read this in-depth testimony of a life that was changed from Bewitchment to Enrichment and from Gloom to Glory and make your choice Minister Regina Smith serves as the Minister of Music and is an intercessor at the Works of God's Hands International, where the honorable Elect Lady Bobbie Jones Grayer is Pastor. She was chosen to be a Daughter of God and a teacher of His Word. She has been singing, writing songs and playing for numerous churches and ministries and training choirs since she was 16 years old, and has a passion for the youth. She flows in the Holy Spirit under a prophetic anointing that ushers in the Presence of God. She loves to Worship the Lord her King, and has come to know that worship affects every area of one's life. Therefore if any man or woman will worship the Lord, he/she must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father seeketh such to Worship Him. St John 4:23-24

For 45 years I've chronicled the Royal Family for the Sun newspaper with my camera. I've witnessed their triumphs and disasters, their laughter and tears, when they've found love and when their relationships splinter. I'm there when they emerge from the maternity wing as wailing newborns and I'm there again when they marry before a joyous nation. And when they're laid to rest on those solemn occasions that this country marks so well, I'm on hand to capture history being made. Arthur Edwards has been the Sun's Royal Photographer for over 45 years; the longest-serving of any newspaper. Originally from the East End of London, he is the man behind the most iconic photographs of the most famous family in the world. With commensurate skill and unprecedented access, he has captured the candid moments when protocol is put aside, revealing the true personalities behind the Crown. This beautiful book is a treasure trove of glorious photography, along with Arthur's own warm recollections of the stories behind his iconic shots. It is the perfect glimpse behind the scenes of the last 50 years of the British monarchy, from a truly unique perspective.

With the flair for narrative and the meticulous research that readers have come to expect, in The Diamond Queen Andrew Marr turns his attention to the monarch - and to the monarchy, chronicling the Queen's pivotal role at the centre of the state, which is largely hidden from the public gaze, and making a strong case for the institution itself. Arranged thematically, rather than chronologically, Marr dissects the Queen's political relationships, crucially those with her Prime Ministers; he examines her role as Head of the Commonwealth, and her deep commitment to that Commonwealth of nations; he looks at the drastic changes in the media since her accession in 1952 and how the monarchy - and the monarch - have had to change and adapt as a result. Indeed he argues that under her watchful eye, the monarchy has been thoroughly modernized and made as fit for purpose in the twenty-first century as it was when she came to the throne and a 'new Elizabethan age' was ushered in.

As the constitutional importance of the monarchy has declined, the British royal family has forged a new and popular role for itself as patron, promoter, and fund-raiser for the underprivileged and the deserving. This book-the first to study the evolution of the "welfare monarchy"-tells the story of the royal family's charitable and social work from the eighteenth century to the present. Drawing on previously unused material from the Royal Archives, Frank Prochaska shows that the monarchy's welfare work has raised its prestige and reaffirmed its importance at the same time that it has brought vitality and success to a vast range of voluntary activities and charities. Prochaska traces the dynamic alliance that has existed between the crown and British civil society over the last 250 years, examining the royals' charitable activities and the factors that motivated them-from Prince Albert, who had a mission to give the monarchy a new kind of influence and moral authority in a period of diminished political power, to King George V and Queen Mary, who were convinced that the monarchy had to combat bolshevism and socialism, to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who tried to create a royal image that would unite the nation. Full of fresh perceptions and novel information (including how much money individual members of the royal family have given away), elegantly written, and handsomely illustrated, the book illuminates the royal family's changing role and the transformation of the idea of nobility.

A gripping royal saga of charmed lives in a changing world. The Jaipurs were India's mid-century golden couple; its answer to the Kennedys, or Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Jai and Ayesha, as they were known to friends like Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote and 'Dickie' Mountbatten, entertained lavishly at their magnificent palaces and hunting lodges in Rajasthan-and in the nightclubs of London, Paris and New York. But as the Raj gave way to the new India, Jaipur-the most glamorous and romantic of the princely states-had to find its place. The House of Jaipur charts a dynasty's determination to remain relevant in a democracy set on crushing its privileges. Against the odds, they secured their place at the height of Indian society; but Ayesha would pay for her criticism of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. From the polo field and politics to imprisonment and personal tragedy, the Jaipurs' extraordinary journey of transformation mirrors the story of a rapidly changing country.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Andersen comes a vivid and unsparing yet sympathetic portrait of one of the most complex and enigmatic figures of our time: Charles, who has taken his place on the throne after being the oldest and longest-serving heir in British history. Since the day Charles Philip Arthur George was born, he has been groomed to be King. After more than seventy years of waiting, he finally ascends the throne. The King examines the private life of this historically important and controversial figure, set against the grand, thousand-year sweep of the British monarchy. This richly detailed biography covers it all, from his military training to his marriage to Lady Diana, through their separation and her tragic death to his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles. In the process, it provides a balanced but fully honest look into the life of the new monarch. This book will tell you what the King-a man who has remained something of an enigma, shrouded in speculation and intrigue-is really like. The King is the first biography of Charles since he has become monarch and serves as an authoritative chronicle of his life.