Catherine of Braganza: Charles II's Restoration Queen

by Sarah-Beth Watkins

Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess, married Charles II in 1662 and became the merry monarch's Restoration queen. Yet life for her was not so merry - she put up with the king's many mistresses and continuous plots to remove her from the throne. She lived through times of war, plague and fire. Catherine's marriage saw many trials and tribulations including her inability to produce an heir. Yet Charles supported his queen throughout the Restoration, remaining devoted to her no matter what. Outliving her husband, she ended up back in her home country and spent her final days as queen-regent of Portugal.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Royalty, British Literature

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2017

About the author

Sarah-Beth Watkins is an author, editor and publisher who has written for various publications over the past 20 years. Growing up in Richmond, Surrey she began soaking up history from an early age.

She is the author of Margaret Tudor: Queen of Scots, Catherine of Braganza, The Tudor Brandons, Lady Katherine Knollys and Ireland's Suffragettes. Her next book is due out in October 2018. She is currently working on another historical biography.

Reviews

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Will Survive


Oooo, Cathy, poor Cathy!...
Born and raised catholic in a faraway land, to be thrown into the lustful arms of a king in a protestant country.
And what did those protestants do?
They certainly did what was likely and expected -- protests, protests and more protests!...
What an hostile reception she got:

-- Put her in chains! Take her to a prison cell!

-- Chop her head off!

-- Throw her to the crocodiles!

Crocodiles?!... Crocodiles in England?!
Ok, ok!... I must confess that, at this point, a sudden creative negative wave took over my line of thoughts. However, if there were crocodiles in England, I'm sure they would also have a part in this barbarian plot!
Religion as a source of segregation comes from behind, and has always been a catalyst for all sorts of violence...

But… let us travel a bit backwards in time… to the year of 1661, when Catarina de Bragança of Portugal, got engaged to Charles II of England:
It was a diplomatic alliance, to add some gold to the english treasury, and to discourage Spain from nagging Portugal...

Catarina was a catholic Lady in a protestant country, and that has been a strong source of court riots — one way or another, they all wanted to kick out the lovely maiden!
Anyway, she sagely survived, and even granted them tea.
Yes! She was that generous — the traditional english five o'clock tea, was a gift from our beloved portuguese Cathy!...

Who would say so!?...
Portugal, a land of coffee addicts, was the one to whidespread the tea craving in England!
Aren't we always learning?!...

Ok, ok!... enough of that tea talk now!…
Let's return to Catarina's probations:
Well, since I have no intentions in spoiling the surprise of the upcoming events, I will just tell you that she had a looooonnnngggg queue of trials waiting for her to greet them, and that's what this book is all about!...

Lady Catarina of Bragança showed us a strong gift for survivance!
You know what?!... I have a slightly feeling that Lady Catherine has been the muse of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” disco hit!😊😜

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sobrevivente


Quando soube que Catarina de Bragança, uma princesa lusitana, nada e criada em berço católico, reinara numa Inglaterra protestante do século XVII, e por lá permanecera, sem que a envenenassem nem decapitassem, fiquei deveras curiosa.

Certamente tratar-se-ia de alguém muito especial, ou tal proeza não seria alcançável!
E é sempre gratificante conhecer de perto pessoas especiais. Indagar sobre os seus percursos de vida, saber que desafios enfrentaram e como, pode ser inspirador além de didáctico.
Conhecer personagens reais, que suportaram e venceram provações desafiantes, transmite-nos uma sensação de força, por empatia.
Se eles sofreram e venceram, porque não nós?!...

Foi, pois, com estas conjecturas, que parti avidamente para esta leitura, e garanto-vos que não me senti defraudada. Surpreendida sim, mas seguramente não defraudada!

Gostei tanto, que me atrevo a convidar-vos a conhecer melhor esta Lady católica lusa, que reinou e vingou em terras protestantes.
Hats off, Lady Catherine!!! 😊😉😍👍

[Always Pouting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine of Braganza was a Catholic Portuguese princess who was married off to Charles II to cement the relationship between Britain and Portugal and discourage Spain from its constant invasion of Portugal. Catherine left behind everything to live in a country she hadn't been to before with a man she'd never met. Her life there wasn't an easy one, from putting up with Charles mistresses and his favoring them over her to people's hostility over her Catholicism to her inability to produce offspring she had a rough time constantly. Yet through out it Catherine remained pious and kind and did her best to try and fit in at the English court and support her king.

I thought it was really interesting read, I didn't know anything about this time period but after reading the book I'm sure I've seen references to Charles II and his numerous mistresses in TV shows. I felt bad for Catherine especially in the beginning where no matter what she did people found a way to use it against her but I'm glad that towards the end Charles at least seemed to be much more loyal and devoted to her. The only thing I had a problem with was trying to keep up with all the titles and names in the book but that's not the authors fault. It was also a pretty quick read which was nice. It sucks that she had to die before she got to do more for Portugal especially since her limited time as regent seemed pretty impressive.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine of Braganza was married to King Charles II. This book looks at her marriage, her life at court and all the animosities and subterfuge she had to deal with. She had two strikes against her: She was Catholic and she was unable to produce an heir. She was a strong woman who I grew to respect and admire for her fortitude and strength. She put up with a lot from King Charles II (the Merry- Maker King), but she stayed even when it was dangerous for her to do so.
I read this book in conjunction with a course I am currently taking on the British Monarchy and I found it to be an excellent adjunct. If you like historical fiction, you definitely would enjoy this one-a non fiction history book that is easily accessible to any reader.
This was a fascinating look at this Queen and the time between 1638-1705. Definitely recommended

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never read a biography about Catherine of Braganza, therefore I don’t know how much material is out there about her. But this biography seems as a light read, rather than a detailed historical account of her life. At some points, Charles’s mistresses take the center stage of this story. Catherine’s interests are not well-developed. It is more of a mention than an action.

The story starts in 1662 with Portuguese princess awaiting her passage to England to be weeded to Charles II, England’s restoration king.

While she awaits her passage, Charles is entertained by his mistress Barbara Palmer. Once the rocky passage is made to Portsmouth, Catherine is not being welcomed by Charles, instead she awaits him. His delayed meeting is due to his mistress.

It doesn’t take long for both of them to be raging in regards to the mistress. “For Catherine, the first flush of marriage was over. It was plain that Charles preferred his mistress to her and all she could do was act with dignity…”

“Life for Catherine did not always miserably revolve around the king and his mistresses. She began to take an active interest in the country’s affairs…” – this is just a mention.

She also takes mutual interest in the king’s scientific pastimes, looking at the stars painted by the physicist and philosopher Sir Isaac Newton. – This is just a mention.

In March 1665, Charles declares war on Netherlands. At the same time, the plague strikes London. “The disease was spread by the fleas of infected black rats…arriving…on ships from Amsterdam.”
Catherine is pregnant, but not for long. She miscarries; followed by many other miscarriages.

The following year, the great fire of London destroys over 10,000 houses and major structures.

In June 1670, Charles signs treaty with France and secretly converts to Catholicism.

In 1678 infamous Popish Plot – a supposed plot by Catholics to kill the king only increases anti-Catholic sentiment in England, which later turns out to be completely fictitious. Now the London fire is blamed on Catholics.

“Catherine had been married to the English king for nearly twenty-three years. She had suffered his mistresses, been unable to have his children, was implicated in plots and accused of trying to kill him but she had never wavered in her affection for him and he had always been protective of her.”

After the death of her husband, she begs her brother to let her come back to her beloved Portugal. After many pleas, she sails to her homeland in 1692.

She dies at the age of 67 at her Bemposta Palace.

What is a mention in this biography should be actually a center stage. I mention only the first mistress of Charles’s, but this story is intertwined with many of them, taking unnecessary center stage at some points.

@FB: Best Historical Fiction

[Melisende · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Braganza - not a queen with whom I am overly familiar with - the Restoration not my particular area of expertise. So it was with anticipation that I sat down with this concise biography and discovered just who this woman was. A survivor!

Catherine's time as Queen of England was tumultuous - the reign of her husband, the notorious prolifigate, Charles II, was dominated by his long time mistress, Lady Castlemaine; Catherine's failure to produce an heir saw many plots abound to remove her or execute her - but Charles stood firm beside her. This was also the period of England's war with the Netherlands and the Great Fire of London.

Yet Catherine survived - she outlasted both Charles II and the reign of his brother James II; she witnessed Monmouth's rebellion (Charles' illegitimate son who challenged his uncle James II for power); she saw in the reigns of William and Mary following James' overthrow and exile; and then the coronation of Anne.

Finally, Catherine returns to Portugal and for the first time, exercising royal power as regent for her nephew (1705). But her happiness was short-lived - she died the same year.

Sarah-Beth successfully recreates the life of Catherine who lived in a most exciting time. Her story is highly readable, not bogged down with too much dry historical facts, and leaves the reader with just enough information to send them off on their own journey of discovery of this queen who for many, was just a mere footnote in history.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a gossipy, light, popular biography of Catherine of Braganza, the wife of Charles II. It's short and to the point, is descriptive rather than analytical and includes no original research, just information from other books. Watkins is especially interested in Catherine's marriage in the face of Charles' well-known string of mistresses, and her inability to deliver an heir, despite a number of pregnancies.

The book barely sketches in the political and historical background: there's no discussion of libertinism or the culture of the Restoration court, and while the Anglo-Dutch wars happen, Watkins doesn't bother explaining what they're about. The second part of the book does become a bit of an engagement diary as the king and Catherine go visiting around the country.

So this is perfect for someone who prefers their history to be a reflection of the lighter type of historical novel: Watkins uses straightforward language (on Louise de Kerouaille, 'her popularity put Nell's nose out of joint') and isn't above some teen-girl exclamations (on archery, 'Catherine was so good that she hit the bullseye!'). A light, fun, romp of a read.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m no historian I’ll admit but I’ve really wanted to learn more over the last few years. What Watkins gets perfect for a reader like me is she manages to make a historical character come to life. There’s lots of facts to take in but you don’t feel bogged down or bored at any point, it’s all relevant and interesting.

Once again Watkins manages to introduce me to someone I’ve heard of but knew very little..and it’s a very compelling tale indeed.. Catherine didn’t have things easy in her life.

The years with Charles were tough..he wanted an heir that she just couldn’t provide and the author manged to convey the struggle she must have been going through. Charles’s treatment of Catherine at times was harsh and scandalous but at others he showed his loyalty to her.

Catherine does her best to fit in at the English court despite the obvious hatred some held for her, she must have been a very strong woman indeed.

Overall it’s a very captivating tale. There’s plots galore and mistresses as you’d expect from the time but the tale really does open your eyes to someone we should really know more about..too many people in history are overshadowed..Catherine should not be one of them.

If you enjoy fact more than fiction give this book a go and if indeed you prefer fiction I still suggest you read the book. I never would have thought I would enjoy a tale such as this, a biography, “where’s the action” I always thought..but how wrong I was. It’s full of excitement and so much more.

Sarah-Beth Watkins definitely makes me want to read/learn more history.. there’s so much out there to explore.

My thanks go to Chronos Books for providing a copy of the book for review.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este livro apresenta-nos uma breve biografia de Catarina de Bragança, a pobre infanta portuguesa que se casou com o maior adúltero da época – o Rei Carlos II de Inglaterra.

A autora é muito resumida, não utiliza uma grande variedade de fontes, mas consegui sentir nela (ela é inglesa) uma simpatia pela nossa Catarina, que passou momentos complicados em “terras de sua majestade”. Infelizmente, o livro foca demasiado as infidelidades de Carlos e a reação da rainha em relação a elas e não desenvolve outros aspetos singulares – Catarina de Bragança introduziu a prática do chá das cinco, bem como a moda das damas utilizarem leque. Isto teria dado uns bons capítulos!

É uma boa introdução à vida de Catarina de Bragança, mas falta “substância”.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watkins did what she could with the small amount of resource material available on Catherine, Princess of Portugal and later wife of King Charles II of England. Charles, a notorious womanizer was believed to have close to 20 illegitimate children, but he always treated Catherine with respect, never considered divorcing her even though many of his advisers suggested it--Catherine was childless. after several miscarriages. Obviously, not acceptable because the queen's main purpose was to secure the line of succession. Charles' death with no heirs did lead eventually to the Glorious Revolution and the insertion of the Prince of the Netherlands on the throne of England (having married Charles' niece, Mary).

Charles II died in 1685 and Catherine remained in England until 1692. She left mostly because William and Mary frowned upon her Catholic faith and she was needed in Portugal to act as mentor to her nephew and later to act as regent for her brother.

Catherine's greatest accomplishment, especially from the English viewpoint, was introducing tea drinking to the country. It had been prevalent in Portugal and she started the custom in England.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I knew next to nothing about the wife of Charles II before this. Now, I think I love her and I just want her to get the recognition she deserves after putting up with all she did. She's up there in my admiration box of queens with the patience of saints along with Catherine of Aragon. This woman spent years going along with all her husband's scandal and affairs, and getting nothing but abuse and in the end outlived them all and got her brief moment in power, putting them all to shame. She's also supposed to have popularised tea drinking in British court, so I have to give her props for playing a part in my identity as a certified addict. All in all, an unsung hero who was so extra she'd play it cool for years and then hit you with a ruinous comeback.

This book was a perfect introduction into Catherine's life; while it's not quite academic in style and relies heavily on gossip and rumour rather than an evaluation of what evidence we have for these claims, I think something like this is a brilliant way to get immersed in the history without becoming overwhelmed (which can often become the case when reading about a historical figure straight off he bat).

Especially if you're someone who doesn't often read nonfiction, this is a great way to get the details and not feel bored to death at the dryness of it.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this e-book through NetGalley.

I've always been more inclined to pick a historical fiction than a biography, as it tends to be easier to immerse myself in the material. I found myself drawn into the author's account of Catherine's life, and her marriage to Charles II. Her writing style is light and conversational, and quite enjoyable to follow. I liked it so much that I plan to read more of the author's books.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

É mais um documento histórico do que um romance, mas gostei muito de ler sobre Catarina de Bragança e ter outro conhecimento sobre a vida atribulada desta Princesa portuguesa.

[Jono Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an intresting read! I knew a little about Queen Catharine’s life - very much her time as queen consort! But had no idea what occurred in her life following her husband’s death. This book was very well written and informative. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Lauralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine of Braganza was the wife of Charles II. She is known for making tea popular in England. She was often very unpopular and was believed to be the neglected wife of Charles II. However, in this biography of Queen Catherine, she is portrayed as a loyal and loving wife to King Charles. While she was often in background at the merry monarch’s court, King Charles never really considered replacing her. He ended up being her most staunch supporter. This biography also shows that Catherine had the makings of being a great queen when she became regent for her nephew in Portugal.

Catherine of Braganza was a princess of Portugal. She was a devoted Catholic throughout her life. Charles II secured his marriage with Catherine in exchange for a large dowry, which he never received. Catherine arrived in England, but she didn’t speak any English. She was immediately unpopular because of her Catholic faith. Charles also did not meet her upon arrival because he was with his mistress. Yet, despite these setbacks, Charles still decided to marry her anyway, both in a secret Catholic ceremony and in a Protestant one.

The beginning of their marriage became tumultuous. Charles wanted to make his mistress serve his wife. Catherine refused. This biography showed that Catherine was temperamental, stubborn, and passionate. It also showed that Charles was also hot-headed and stubborn, and that both the king and queen were used to getting their own way. This became a strained marriage, and Catherine became neglected. It wasn’t until after she relented and treated Charles’s mistresses with respect that Charles began to pay more attention to her.

Throughout her marriage, Catherine had to tolerate Charles’s mistresses. She also had to deal with the failure that she never produced an heir and the king’s counselors advising the king to replace her. Despite these problems, Charles never divorced his wife. He supported her. When the Popish Plot of 1678 threatened her, Charles stood by her side and declared he wouldn’t impeach her. Their relationship became closer. Charles spent more time with her and gave her more attention.

After Charles’s death, she lived in seclusion in Somerset House and witnessed the reigns of James II and William and Mary. Eventually, she returned to Portugal and was appointed regent for her nephew. She was a successful regent, but her time was short. She died in December.

Overall, this biography portrays Catherine in a sympathetic light. Her life was a series of tribulations. I felt sorry for Catherine and her difficulties. Yet, she managed to overcome them with the help of her husband Charles II. This biography also shows a more complex portrait of Catherine. She is portrayed as temperamental, stubborn, loyal, and politically adept. Because we see how capable Catherine is as regent, we only wonder how good of a queen she would be if Charles relied on her more often. This biography was short and it is very readable to the general reader. Those who have never heard of Catherine will find her story compelling and will want to learn more about her. Thus, Catherine of Braganza: Charles II’s Restoration Queen shows Catherine to be a woman who had the potential to be a great queen, but was never given the chance during her marriage to Charles II.
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-Arc from Netgalley.

Although a historian myself, anything after the Tudors does almost defeat me because it's not a period I've studied at great length - and this is probably just the right sort of book for me to read about a time period I know little about.

The author's tone is light, and dispenses with any sort of discussion about sources and their reliability, rather focusing on what can be pieced together about Charles II's Queen, which doesn't seem to be a great deal. It is told in a chronological order - which I always like - and while I would have quite liked a list of Charles II's mistresses and illegitimate children - Charles does not feature massively in the text. Not that he's not there - and there are a few times when I was struck by Charles' regard for his wife, unable to give him the legitimate sons he needed, and yet fiercely loyal to her for all that - apart from perhaps in his younger days when his treatment of her was quite scandalous.

Overall, a very enjoyable and quick read - I especially enjoyed the mentions of the French court as it brought back all my memories of studying Louis XIV. I think it would help to have some understanding of the time period when reading the book - but as I discovered while reading, I did actually know more about the time period than I thought I would.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a fascinating look at the life of Catherine of Braganza. She was born in 1638 in Portugal, and married Charles the II of England in 1662. She must have been an amazing women since she had to come to terms with the numerous mistresses of the king and the fact that, as hard as she tried she was never able to give the king an heir.

When she wasn't dealing with domestic hardships she had her detractors to contend with, particularly those who wanted to rid themselves of a Catholic queen. Even though the king stood by her during her most difficult times it seems true happiness may have come at long last when she was able to return to Portugal, where she was to rule as regent for João V.

I recommend this well written book for anyone who wants to know more about Catherine's role as queen and her life at the English court.

Thanks to Chronos Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com

[Moniek Bloks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine of Braganza was born in 1638 as the daughter of John, 8th Duke of Braganza, later King John IV of Portugal and his wife, Luisa de Guzmán. She was married off to the newly restored King Charles II in 1662, who by then already had several illegitimate children. She would be forced to compete for Charles’s attention with several of his mistresses and learned to tolerate them. Sadly, she never had children of her own, despite many trips to healings baths. Instead, she was forced to watch Charles have child after child with a mistress. One cannot help but feel sorry for her.

Sarah-Beth Watkins’s new book on Catherine makes her anything but a victim of her time. The book is well-written en researched, although I could have done with a bit more notes and primary sources. We see Catherine in a new light, the target of a hostile court, but never a victim. Her greatest glory was perhaps not as Queen of England but as regent of her native Portugal later in life. She was much in need of a new book on her life.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. There has been little written about Catherine of Braganza, so I was happy to learn more about her.

Catherine of Braganza was the Portuguese wife of Charles II of England, the Restoration King. Catherine was born into the House of Braganza, the most senior noble house in Portugal.

Catherine was an unpopular consort for the Merry Monarch, mainly because of her devotion to Roman Catholicism, but also because she was unable to produce an heir to the throne. King Charles had no trouble producing illegitimate sires throughout England with a number of publicly known mistresses, the most notorious of them being Barbara Palmer. Not only did Catherine put up with Charles extra curricular lasciviousness, she included Barbara Palmer in her royal household as Mistress of the Bed Chamber.

I found this book interesting and well written, and it was a very quick read.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I don't know all that much about Charles II or the era he ruled in. I found this a refreshing and interesting read about his queen, Catherine of Braganza.

The author presents the facts, from letters and sources of the times, about the woman. I appreciated Catherine's loyalty to her husband and also Charles' loyalty (such as it was) to her. They were friends, of a sort, and had no children.

This wasn't difficult to read, and had a nice flow. Any reader who has an interest in history would no doubt enjoy reading this.

[NightOwlReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this eBook ARC via NetGalley.
Quite frankly, I know very little about history and thus it is not my go to subject in my juniors, however, after reading Brazen by Katherine Longshore, I grew interest of learning more about the Tudors. This book focuses more on Catherine’s marriage life with Charles II. The author is very straightforward and descriptive. This is a very light novel that is perfect for those who sees History the way that I do.

[Anne Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite reading modern and medieval history at university I am not very familiar with the wives of the Stuart monarchs, Catherine was the wife of Charles 11. This book is a lightweight read rather than a scholarly study but none the less a lot of the material was new. I would have liked a more rounded portrait of king Charles himself particularly some consideration of how he and his mother were affected by his father's beheading and his exile.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ebook.

Although I was familiar with Charles II and the Restoration, I knew nothing about Queen Catherine.

This book is very interesting, the writing style is light and accessible, which means it's an easy read. It's also quite short. Overall I reammy enjoyed it and learned lots of new information​.

[Rosann · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the exception of the large slate of characters with the same or similar names, I found the story of the Queen of both England, and then Portugal to be compelling, well written, and sympathetic.

[Janet Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good history of England's most misunderstood Queen!

Heard of this Queen but in her own right! Good but always misunderstood, always there for her husband but never truly loved! Good story and most surprising ! many new things learned!

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Netgalley for a Review:

I went into this book knowing few things about Catherine of Braganza...I knew she was the wife of Charles II, that he had a LOT of mistresses, that she was famous for bringing tea to the English mainstream, and that she was greatly unpopular due to being Catholic. I walked away from this book feeling like I still don't really know much about the queen. I certainly know more about Charles' mistresses (and really want to know more about Hortense Mancini, that woman seems like someone out of what fiction thought Restoration-era England was like) and Charles II himself, as well as learning more about a period in English history that I admit I am pretty weak on.

I am not sure if there just isn't a ton recorded about her life or this book really was meant to be more of a primer for the period, but it certainly didn't seem all-encompassing about the Queen. I find myself greatly wanting to know more about her, but did enjoy reading the book and found its casual approach to history quite useful since this is a period I am less familiar with.

[Elma Voogdt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about the wife of Charles II before this book. Catherine of Braganza was born in 1638 in Portugal, and married Charles the II of England in 1662. She was a devoted Catholic throughout her life. She is known for making tea popular in England. Catherine’s loyalty to her husband is amazing with all his others woman he spend time with.
This book was a perfect introduction for me to get to now Catherine of Braganza. The book reads easily. Anyone who has an interest in history would with no doubt enjoy reading this.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first season of the short story series "Whitehall" I was looking forward to reading more about the real queen at the centre of the series.

Overall, this biography was rather interesting but it did occasionally focus more on Charles' mistresses than on his wife which was rather disappointing because the author alluded to the Queen taking an interest in the politics of her time. Especially in the last chapter, I would have loved to have gotten a little more detail on her role as regent.

Still, this book is an interesting introduction to Catherine of Braganza and the Restoration Court.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great bite-sized summary of Catherine's life, mainly focused on her years as Charles II's wife. It offered a short and simplified overview of these years and is a great beginning point to understanding the time of Restoration in England. However, this is lacking true detail, analysis, or original research. If you take it for what it is a primer to the mid-1600s and Catherine's life it works fine, however, if you are expecting an in-depth retelling of her life and time period you will be disappointed.

[Jula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lightweight but readable

Just about gave me enough facts for the outline of Catherine's life. Left me wanting a lot more though, including more of the political background.