Four accomplished sisters who rose from near obscurity to become the most powerful women in Europe

Set against the backdrop of the turbulent thirteenth century, a time of chivalry and crusades, poetry, knights, and monarchs comes the story of the four beautiful daughters of the count of Provence whose brilliant marriages made them the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily.

From a cultured childhood in Provence, each sister was propelled into a world marked by shifting alliances, intrigue, and subterfuge. Marguerite, the eldest, whose resolution and spirit would be tested by the cold splendor of the Palais du Roi in Paris; Eleanor, whose soaring political aspirations would provoke her kingdom to civil war; Sanchia, the neglected wife of the richest man in England who bought himself the crown of Germany; and Beatrice, whose desire for sovereignty was so acute that she risked her life to earn her place at the royal table.

A compulsively readable narrative, Four Queens shatters the myth that women were helpless pawns in a society that celebrated physical prowess and masculine intellect. A riveting historical saga for fans of Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser.

"A wonderful book about four remarkable women . . . An utterly compelling read."

Alison Weir, author of Eleanor of Aquitaine

"A densely woven narrative of sibling rivalry, simmering resentments, and thwarted ambitions. . . . Times change but not, it seems, sisterly love."

Dr. Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

"Remarkable . . . told with all the verve and aplomb and richness of detail that four such extraordinary women deserve."

Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome

"Goldstone weaves a vivid tapestry worthy of her subjects."

Entertainment Weekly

"On Goldstone's rich, beautifully woven tapestry, medieval Europe springs to vivid life. . . . This is a fresh, eminently enjoyable history that gives women their due as movers and shakers in tumultuous times."

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 13th century comes the story of the four beautiful daughters of the count of Provence, whose brilliant marriages made them the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily.

Four Queens is a rich pageant of glamour, intrigue, and feminine power at a time when women were thought to have played limited roles. In thirteenth-century Europe, four sisters from a single familyMarguerite, Eleanor, Sanchia, and Beatrice of Provenerose from obscurity to become the queens of, respectively, France, England, Germany, and Sicily. All four were beautiful, cultured, and ambitious, and their stories offer a window into the era of chivalry, crusades, poetry, knights, and monarchs that will appeal to fans of Alison Weir and Antonia Fraser.

Nancy Goldstone is the coauthor of five books, including Out of the Flames. She lives with her husband and daughter in Connecticut.