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In the Shadow of the Empress
- The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters
- Narrated by: Emma Newman
- Length: 23 hrs and 8 mins
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Publisher's summary
The vibrant, sprawling saga of Empress Maria Theresa - one of the most renowned women rulers in history - and three of her extraordinary daughters, including Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen of France.
Out of the thrilling and tempestuous 18th 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 23 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 250 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.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Critic reviews
"Rich storytelling… humane and balanced portraits… In the Shadow of the Empress is elegantly written, in a brisk style that plays to Ms. Goldstone’s strengths in portraiture and the theatrical set-piece. The author deftly interweaves the ups and downs of Maria Theresa’s running contest with Frederick with the vicissitudes of her life as Europe’s most prolific procreator.”—A. Wess Mitchell, Wall Street Journal
"A vivid exploration of four female royals who altered the course of history.”—People
"Entertaining and thoroughly researched… you’ll get a new perspective on these women who changed the course of history.”—Nina Garin, San Diego Union Tribune
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Mary, Queen of Scots continues to intrigue both historians and the general public - but the story of her mother, Marie de Guise, is much less well known. A political power in her own right, she was born into the powerful and ambitious Lorraine family, spending her formative years at the dazzling, licentious court of François I. Although briefly courted by Henry VIII, she instead married his nephew, James V of Scotland, in 1538.
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Find a Better Bio
- By Amazon Customer on 04-14-20
By: Melanie Clegg
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Emperor
- A New Life of Charles V
- By: Geoffrey Parker
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 26 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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The life of Emperor Charles V (1500-1558), ruler of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and much of Italy and Central and South America, has long intrigued biographers. But the elusive nature of the man (despite an abundance of documentation), his relentless travel and the control of his own image, together with the complexity of governing the world's first transatlantic empire, complicate the task.
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Amazing.
- By bigdjunta on 10-21-19
By: Geoffrey Parker
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The Howe Dynasty
- The Untold Story of a Military Family and the Women Behind Britain's Wars for America
- By: Julie Flavell
- Narrated by: Polly Lee
- Length: 17 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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In December 1774, Benjamin Franklin met Caroline Howe, the sister of British General Sir William Howe and Richard Admiral Lord Howe, in a London drawing room for “half a dozen Games of Chess”. But as historian Julie Flavell reveals, these meetings were about much more than board games: They were cover for a last-ditch attempt to forestall the outbreak of the American War of Independence.
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A very interesting, slightly partisan history
- By Anne Ruszkiewicz on 04-03-22
By: Julie Flavell
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The Tigress of Forli
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In this glittering biography, Elizabeth Lev reexamines Caterina Sforza's extraordinary life and accomplishments. Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope’s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In finally losing her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe.
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Excellent in every way!!!
- By Graciela G. on 06-28-24
By: Elizabeth Lev
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Francis I
- The Maker of Modern France
- By: Leonie Frieda
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Catherine de Medici's father-in-law, King Francis of France, was the perfect Renaissance knight, the movement's exemplar and its Gallic interpreter. An aesthete, diplomat par excellence, and contemporary of Machiavelli, Francis was the founder of modern France, whose sheer force of will and personality molded his kingdom into the first European superpower. Arguably the man who introduced the Renaissance to France, Francis was also the prototype Frenchman - a national identity was modeled on his character.
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Rekindling salamandrine fires...
- By Adeliese Baumann on 09-29-18
By: Leonie Frieda
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Victoria's Daughters
- By: Jerrold M. Packard
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Vicky, Alice, Helena, and Beatrice were historically unique sisters, born to a sovereign who ruled over a quarter of the earth's people and who gave her name to an era: Queen Victoria. Two of these princesses would themselves produce children of immense consequence. All five would curiously come to share many of the social restrictions and familial machinations borne by 19th-century women of less-exulted class.
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Terrible Narrator
- By Kijana Mayfield on 03-28-17
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She-Wolves
- The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
- By: Helen Castor
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the tradition of Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir, prize-winning historian Helen Castor delivers a compelling, eye-opening examination of women and power in England, witnessed through the lives of six women who exercised power against all odds - and one who never got the chance. Exploring the narratives of the Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou, and other "she-wolves," as well as that of the Nine Days' Queen, Lady Jane Grey, Castor invokes a magisterial discussion of how much - and how little - has changed through the centuries.
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STORY TELLING IS ERRATIC
- By The Louligan on 07-22-20
By: Helen Castor
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The Lost Queen
- The Life & Tragedy of the Prince Regent's Daughter
- By: Anne M. Stott
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
As the only child of the Prince Regent and Caroline of Brunswick, Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796-1817) was the heiress presumptive to the throne. Her parents' marriage had already broken up by the time she was born. She had a difficult childhood and a turbulent adolescence, but she was popular with the public, who looked to her to restore the good name of the monarchy.
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excellent
- By meganajjcec on 10-12-20
By: Anne M. Stott
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Catherine de Medici
- Renaissance Queen of France
- By: Leonie Frieda
- Narrated by: Sarah Le Fevre
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Overall
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Poisoner, despot, necromancer - the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds - from a troubled childhood in Florence to her marriage to Henry, son of King Francis I of France; from her transformation of French culture to her fight to protect her throne and her sons' birthright. Based on thousands of private letters, it is a remarkable account of one of the most influential women to wear a crown.
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Narrator didn't get one name right
- By Georgina García- Menocal on 09-15-19
By: Leonie Frieda
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The Women of the Cousins' War
- The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother
- By: Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, Michael Jones
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who was to survive two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established author on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love, and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor. The Women of the Cousins’ War will appeal to all.
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Great book
- By Stacey Wallace on 11-14-11
By: Philippa Gregory, and others
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Hero of Two Worlds
- The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution
- By: Mike Duncan
- Narrated by: Mike Duncan
- Length: 17 hrs and 20 mins
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Performance
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Story
From the massively popular podcaster and New York Times best-selling author comes the story of the Marquis de Lafayette's lifelong quest to protect the principles of democracy, told through the lens of the three revolutions he participated in: the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Revolution of 1830.
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Thrillingly storytelling — brilliant narration
- By Byron on 08-24-21
By: Mike Duncan
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The Last King of America
- The Misunderstood Reign of George III
- By: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: Phillipe Stevens
- Length: 36 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Most Americans dismiss George III as a buffoon - a heartless and terrible monarch with few, if any, redeeming qualities. The best-known modern interpretation of him is Jonathan Groff's preening, spitting, and pompous take in Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway masterpiece. But this deeply unflattering characterization is rooted in the prejudiced and brilliantly persuasive opinions of 18th-century revolutionaries. After combing through hundreds of thousands of pages of never-before-published correspondence, award-winning historian Andrew Roberts has uncovered the truth.
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Fantastic .. a proud defense of George III
- By Wyatt on 11-12-21
By: Andrew Roberts
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Tudor History
- A Captivating Guide to the Tudors, the Wars of the Roses, the Six Wives of Henry VIII and the Life of Elizabeth I
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Desmond Manny
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Five Tudor monarchs sat on the throne of England and Ireland from 1485 to 1603. The family earned their royal rights through strategic planning and battlefield prowess, and kept them because of intellect, strength, and sheer determination. The Tudors, one of England’s most powerful and famous royal dynasties, knitted together a fragmented and small island nation that became one of the world’s financial, colonial, and technological superpowers.
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A facinating guide.
- By James Mark on 03-07-19
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Interesting, informative
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An Excellent and Interesting History
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1399: England’s crown is under threat. King Richard II holds on to his power by an ever-weakening thread, with exiled Henry of Lancaster back to reclaim his place on the throne. For Elizabeth Mortimer, there is only one rightful King - her eight-year-old nephew, Edmund. Only he can guarantee her fortunes and protect her family’s rule over the precious northern lands bordering Scotland.
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Love and Louis XIV
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Excellent!
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Catherine de Medici
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Poisoner, despot, necromancer - the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds - from a troubled childhood in Florence to her marriage to Henry, son of King Francis I of France; from her transformation of French culture to her fight to protect her throne and her sons' birthright. Based on thousands of private letters, it is a remarkable account of one of the most influential women to wear a crown.
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Narrator didn't get one name right
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By: Leonie Frieda
What listeners say about In the Shadow of the Empress
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lacey
- 02-16-24
The story is better than the narration
I appreciate that I can hear about the great Marie Theresa's daughters lives all in one book. I like how the story is segmented to go over each daughters life. There are a couple of things that can take me out of the immersion. The narrator sounds like she's about to break into tears with how she speaks. It's tolerable most of the time, but sometimes I'm thinking "is she okay??" Yeah she's fine, she just talks that way. I love the story though. There are some parts of that are a little strange, like how the author is trying hard to convince the reader that Louis XVI had autism. The author also claims that Marie Antoinette’s second son was “almost certainly” father by Count Fersen. That’s an incredible claim to make when the heart of the child has been identified based on his DNA. The pushing of truth doesn’t happen very often, but it definitely takes me out of it when it does.
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- HistoryNerd
- 03-22-22
Fascinating and Amusing Biography
I really enjoy Nancy Goldstone’s biographies. She does an excellent job with her research while writing in an amusing, almost snarky manner. I laughed out loud at some of the snide asides placed in the footnotes.
I’ve always been fascinated by Maria Theresa of Austria so this biography immediately caught my eye. It was a bonus that it included three of her daughters: Maria Christina, Maria Carolina, and Maria Antoinetta (Marie Antoinette). I enjoyed some of the back stories on incidental characters throughout the book particularly Maria Theresa’s nemesis Frederick the Great. What a piece of work he was! There was an excellent and great use of letters and accounts that added a lot to the story of these women’s lives. I was a bit annoyed in one section where several unnamed British women were quoted frequently without any mention of their names. It was just weird to be quoting them, repeatedly, without discussing who they were. It was a strange way to approach it. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it!
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- London England
- 11-22-22
Very well researched and written!
I really enjoyed this book. The author has such a gift for writing about a subject that completely confused me as a student (all the noteworthy individuals are named Marie!). History has never be so relatable and exciting!
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- jukie
- 04-19-22
Well done
Enjoyed it tremendously. Story was historically accurate . Will read more from the author. Narrator was good.
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- Amnon
- 12-05-21
The remarkable story of Mary Terese
Truly inspire story of leadership and character .
I read some strongly worded criticism of Emma Newman reading which I founded unwarranted and unfair.
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- Kailey Stevens
- 09-28-21
Learned a lot and loved the scandall!!!
This was one of the most interesting biographies I have read! The author uses her literary skills to show the reader how maria therese influenced Europe and changed the world. The author was unbiased and addresses the negative side of her subject. I walked away with a greater knowledge of the haspburgs and would recommend this book to all.
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- LLA
- 05-26-22
Such a sad story
Renewed respect for MT who survived as best she could in very difficult times.
An aside note: Austrian pastries were spread throughout Europe as the chefs traveled with the girls to their new homes
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- Scott Inman
- 02-19-23
Loved this book
Very well written and narrated. It really put together what had been just pieces of history for me into a logical and interesting narrative.
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- PR Hostess
- 12-11-23
Great narrator!
School history books should be written like this! The way the story was told kept helped me stay focused and kept me motivated to read/listen until the end. The interjecting footnotes added valuable historical perspective and flourish to the narrative.
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-18-22
Terrible, terrible narration
Fantastic story, very well written, kind of book you can’t put away. Unfortunately, the performance is terrible. The narrator makes all sorts of ridiculous affectations and intonations and the nasal quality it attributes to many characters it’s also very unpleasant.
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