1236 Beautiful Ailenor of Provence, cultured and intelligent, is only thirteen when she marries Henry III. Aware of the desperate importance of providing heirs to secure the throne from those who would snatch it away, she is ruthless in her dealings with Henry’s barons. As conflict escalates between them, Ailenor’s shrewd and clever Savoyard uncles come to support her but her growing political … growing political power is threatened when Henry’s half-siblings also arrive at court.
Henry and Ailenor become embroiled in an unpopular war to protect Gascony, last English territory on the continent, sparking conflict with warrior knight, Simon de Montfort, the King’s seneschal. Ailenor, desperate to protect Gascony for her son, strives to treat with France and bring peace to Gascony.
Caught in a web of treachery and deceit, ‘she-wolf’ Ailenor’s courage is tested to the limit. Can she find the strength to control her destiny and protect her all that she holds dear?
more
History, especially before the Renaissance, was written by, for, and about men. If you only read the history books, you can be forgiven for thinking that women were deaf and dumb vessels only meant to carry children. How refreshing it is to read about a woman who made history herself, Ailenor of England, often referred to as she wolf, (which was applied to three of the early English Queens, proof of their strong personalities!) was a noblewoman from France who married King Henry III, grandson of the indomitable Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Ailenor was married aged twelve or thirteen, but her husband, Henry, wishes to wait until she is older to consummate their marriage. During this time, Ailenor learns the ways of the court and manages to place her retinue and followers in important positions, a fact that does not endear her to the English. Headstrong, quick of tongue, and sure of herself, she falls in love with her older husband and manages to make him love her too – no small feat, as he is intelligent and experienced. As well as taking an interest in her husband’s affairs, Ailenor was also interested in the art of embroidery, and she befriends a commoner – Rosiland – a woman with great talent – and becomes her patroness. So there are two strong female characters in the story, their lives, one noble-born and destined for history, and the other, a product of the brand new middle class of artisan workers who will eventually make Europe into a modern state.
Also important to the story are the characters Simon de Montfort and his wife, Nell, who was Henry’s sister. Nell and Simon fall in love and Ailenor helps them marry, getting papal disposition. However, Simon and Nell fall heavily in debt and Henry ends up footing their bills. Furious, he orders Simon imprisoned, but Ailenor helps them escape England. I loved the way the author ties history and fiction together – I have always been fascinated by this period, and especially by this royal family. Richard of Cornwall, Simon de Montfort – and of course the Crusades are all woven together in this richly embroidered tapestry. Especially prevailent is the embroidery itself – the different fabrics and clothes the people wore, their colors and textures adding richness to an already fascinating tale. Highly reccommended.
The Silken Rose begins on a genteel note: thirteen-year old Ailenor of Provence arrives on the shores of England to be married to king Henry III. We join Ailenor on the journey of discovery of the alien and most fascinating world of 13th-century England. Guided by McGrath, tentatively at first, we dip our toes in the medieval customs, mentalities and sensitivities described with flourish and attention to detail. Soon we find ourselves fully immersed in a time-space bubble.
Ailenor may only be a young girl, and on many levels she acts like one: she enjoys beautiful things in life, the company of her ladies, lavish feasts,
poetry and embroidery. She is eager to please her king and fantasises of becoming Guinevere to his Arthur. She is beginning to awaken sexually. But we soon learn that one mustn’t be fooled by her young age and romantic fantasies. Ailenor is a she-wolf (a term she violently resents). She is ambitious, perceptive, even manipulative. She loves her king romantically but she also has more pragmatic objectives: she must give him an heir and sway his favours to secure her interests. She makes true friends (such as Nell, the king’s sister). She loves them dearly and supports them. But she also knows how to convert friendships into political alliances. She confidently navigates her way amongst the hostile barons and treacherous rivals. What started as an idyllic fairy tale of a royal wedding and giggling maidens soon becomes a darker, faster-paced tale of intrigue, assassination, betrayal and flights of blinding rage. In order to survive and protect her children, Ailenor hardens and perfects the art of factional war and smart diplomacy.
MacGrath’s tale has the flowing quality of a powerful river which, once you’ve dipped your toes in, sweeps you off your feet and carries you with the currents, rapids and waterfalls of power struggle and survival.
The Silken Rose is a brilliant start to this trilogy of books by Carol McGrath about the Queenly She-Wolves of England. The main protagonist is Aelinor of Provence, a 13-year-old girl when she is despatched to London in the mid-1230s to marry King Henry III, a man approaching 30. Her story is one which must’ve been shared by all those girls sent off to marry men they had never met, but hers takes on even more drama because of the problems within England and those caused by her husband’s ineptness. One can really begin to understand the circumstances whereby Aelinor felt she needed to defend herself and her family by bringing trusted kin to England from Savoy. I also found the factional infighting within Henry’s family and government fascinating. The shadow of Simon de Montfort looms large throughout the novel, but it is Aelinor’s step out of the historical shadows which is the real triumph of The Silken Rose. Highly recommended.