Eleanor of Castile, the remarkable woman behind England's greatest medieval king, Edward I, has been effectively airbrushed from history; yet she had one of the most fascinating lives of any of England's queens. Her childhood was spent in the centre of the Spanish reconquest and was dominated by her military hero of a father (St Ferdinand) and her prodigiously clever brother (King Alfonso X the Learned). Married at the age of twelve and a mother at thirteen, she gave birth to at least sixteen children, most of whom died young. She was a prisoner for a year amid a civil war in which her husband's life was in acute danger. Devoted to Edward, she accompanied him everywhere. All in all, she was to live for extended periods in five different countries. Eleanor was a highly dynamic, forceful personality who acted as part of Edward's innermost circle of advisers, and successfully accumulated a vast property empire for the English Crown. In cultural terms her influence in architecture and design - and even gardening - can be discerned to this day, while her idealised image still speaks to us from Edward's beautiful memorials to her, the Eleanor crosses. This book reveals her untold story.

About the Author
Sara Cockerill studied Law at the University of Oxford. Between 1990 and 2017 she was a barrister and later a QC specialising in commercial law. She has had a lifelong interest in English history, which led her to write Eleanor of Castile: The Shadow Queen, the first full-length biography of Edward I's beloved queen. She is married with one cat, and divides her time between London and the seaside.

Reviews
'A brilliant new life of one of the most surprising powers behind England's medieval throne' -- DAN JONES, bestselling author of The Plantagenets
Tracy Borman's Book of the Year 2014: 'A compelling and intricately researched biography that brings one of history's most fascinating, influential yet neglected queens out of the shadows.' -- Tracy Borman, Joint Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces and author of Thomas Cromwell and Matilda: Queen of the Conqueror



Book Information
ISBN 9781445660264
Author Sara Cockerill
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Amberley Publishing
Publisher Amberley Publishing
Weight(grams) 306g