Twice Royal Lady

Destined from childhood to be an important piece in the intricate chess game of power, Matilda is the granddaughter of William the Conqueror but also descended, through her mother, from the ancient line of Anglo-Saxon kings. Betrothed to Emperor Henry of Germany at the age of 8, she is married at 12 and crowned Empress. By her early 20s she is a widow, and the only surviving legitimate heir to her father, Henry I of England. Forced into a second marriage to a boy ten years younger, she gives birth to three sons, the male heirs her father longs for. However, on his sudden death, the throne is usurped by her cousin Stephen. Matilda is forced to choose between her husband and her rights as her father's heir. Intelligent, determined and courageous, she chooses to fight for her rights.

A novel bringing to life the tale of Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I, and her decision to fight for her rights as her father's heir Destined from childhood to be an important piece in the intricate chess game of power, Matilda is the granddaughter of William the Conqueror but also descended, through her mother, from the ancient line of Anglo-Saxon kings. Betrothed to Emperor Henry of Germany at the age of eight, she is married at 12 and crowned Empress. By her early twenties she is a widow, and the only surviving legitimate heir to her father, Henry l of England. Forced into a second marriage to a boy 10 years younger, she gives birth to three sons, the male heirs her father longs for. However, on his sudden death, the throne is usurped by her cousin, Stephen. Matilda is forced to choose between her husband and her rights as her father's heir. Intelligent, determined, and courageous, she chooses to fight for her rights.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A very good read with a lot of historical detail. A very touching story of one person's struggle with being a member of the Royal Family and the obligations she was put under." Wendy L. DISCOVER A GRIPPING, AUTHENTIC AND TOUCHING MEDIEVAL HISTORICAL SAGA YOU WON'T WANT TO PUT DOWN. ____________________ England, 1100s. Meet Matilda of England. Betrothed at eight. Married at twelve. And crowned Empress in her late teens. Matilda is the only legitimate daughter of Henry I of England. She's also the granddaughter of William the Conqueror and is a descendent - through her mother - from the ancient line of Anglo-Saxon kings. She is made a widow in her early twenties and is the only surviving heir to the throne of England. Now she must marry Geoffrey of Anjou, a boy ten years younger, and share the task of leading an often rebellious state. Before long she gives birth to three sons and provides her father with the male heirs he's longed for. But when Henry I suddenly dies, the throne is usurped by Matilda's cousin, Stephen. Now Matilda is forced to choose between her husband and her rights as her father's heir. Intelligent, determined and courageous, she follows her heart. But at what cost? Fans of Philippa Gregory, Sandra Heath Wilson, K.M. Ashman, Candace Robb and Clare Marchant will be gripped by this touching medieval saga. ____________________ PRAISE FOR TWICE ROYAL LADY: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Loved this book!" Amazon customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A good read." Brookes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "An interesting read . . . this novel makes it fun to see the history unfold as if you are witnessing it first-hand." Mo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A very good read with a lot of historical detail." W. Lazar ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Hilary Green has done a good job in bringing the medieval world to life in a very readable way. Both time and place feel authentic." Jaffareadstoo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "An engrossing read." Lyn ALSO BY HILARY GREEN OPERATION KINGFISHER TWICE ROYAL LADY APHRODITE'S ISLAND* *COMING SOON! Join the Joffe Books mailing list to be the first to hear about new books by Hilary Green.

Autumn, 1282 As Edward I wages a bloody conflict with Wales, Prioress Eleanor escorts her younger brother, Robert, and his wife, who is in labor, from their Marcher lands to greater safety at a Wynethorpe manor in a village just inside the English border. They are joined by Brother Thomas, the Prioress's trusted friend, and Sister Anne, who helps navigate the difficult birth and delivers a baby girl. Mother and child may be healthy, but Death never wanders far from this beloved Prioress—whether she's home at Tyndal in Norfolk or traveling the realm. The local abbot begs her help—the village priest has been found dead and standing over him is, a reliable witness says, the ghost of Hywel, the village stonemason who was recently hanged for slaying some sleeping English soldiers. Bone tired, Brother Thomas questions the village hangman, who assures him that Hywel was hanged once and then, when the weight of the fat felon strung up alongside him broke the beam of the gallows, was hanged again. The experienced executioner checked all the bodily signs—Hywel was dead. But where is his grave? And what secrets are the mysterious locals keeping from the outsiders visiting their troubled home?

Behind-the-throne biographies of royal sisters, mothers, and others. It’s said that behind every great man is a woman, and what man is greater than the king? For centuries, royal aunts, cousins, sisters and mothers have watched history unfold from the shadows, their battlefields the bedchamber or the birthing room, their often short lives remembered only through the lens of others. But for those who want to hear them, great stories are still there to be told: the medieval princess who was kidnapped by pirates; the duchess found guilty of procuring love potions; the queen who was imprisoned in a castle for decades. Bringing thirty of these royal women out of the shadows, along with the footnotes of their families, this collection of bite-sized biographies will tell forgotten tales and shine much needed light into the darkened corners of women’s history—and reminds us that British history is more than just a chain of Edwards and Henrys and Georges.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1873.