Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Hearts

The new biography of Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, challenges the misconceptions about her as a spendthrift and reveals her as a patron of the arts and a canny stateswoman. She was at the center of the Thirty Years War and the Civil Wars and fought to regain her children's birthright.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 624 pages
\n Publication date: 09 December 2021
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press
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Elizabeth Stuart, the enigmatic and often misconstrued queen of the 17th century, emerges as a captivating figure in Nadine Akkerman's groundbreaking biography. Often portrayed as a frivolous spendthrift more interested in theater and her pet monkeys than politics or her children, this direct ancestor of Elizabeth II has long been unfairly labeled as the "Winter Queen." However, Akkerman's meticulously researched work unveils a different portrait, revealing a queen forged in the crucible of European conflict.

Born to James VI and I, Elizabeth Stuart married Frederick V, Elector Palatine in 1613. Their coronation as King and Queen of Bohemia in 1619 was short-lived, as they were deposed and exiled to the Dutch Republic in 1620. In this tumultuous period, Elizabeth found herself at the center of the Thirty Years' War and the Civil Wars, pivotal political and military struggles that shaped 17th-century Europe.

After her husband's death in 1632, Elizabeth embraced a cult of widowhood, dressing in black and embarking on a relentless political campaign to reclaim her children's birthright. With a sharp wit and a long memory, she wielded her pen with the same precision she once employed to spear boars from horseback. Through extensive archival research and meticulous detective work, Akkerman challenges the prevailing view of Elizabeth Stuart, revealing her as a patron of the arts and a shrewd stateswoman.

Upon her return to England in 1661, Elizabeth Stuart found a nation still deeply devoted to her as their "Queen of Hearts." Akkerman's biography not only sheds light on Elizabeth Stuart's life but also underscores her profound impact on both England and Europe. It demonstrates that she was far more than just the grandmother of George I, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to resonate today.

\n Weight: 1180g\n
Dimension: 223 x 297 x 32 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780199668304\n \n