Can a small-town girl with an unstable mother grow up to unite her people and become the greatest leader in her country’s history?
Sure. It really happened.
Her name was Isabella, and despite several attempts by her uncle to marry her off and even murder her and her older brother (got him), she defied corrupt power and married a handsome and powerful rival. Together they did what no one had done in a thousand years.
This book, loved by millions around the world, is again in print and available online and at bookstores everywhere. The Schoonover Collection: Queen’s Cross is the historically accurate classic novel of struggle and victory of early feminist power in the medieval world.
Review quotes:
“The tale of the beautiful and able young Isabella of Castile...illuminating, swift-moving, and filled with color” - The New York Times
“...unfurled in swatches of bright color and sound sentiments, you will like ‘The Queen’s Cross.’ ” - Saturday Review
“...the narrative puts the meat of living flesh on the dry bones of skeletonized history...Schoonover’s best effort to date.” - Chicago Sunday Tribune
“Picaresque, romantic recreation of history...” - Kirkus Book Reviews
“A real contribution to the history of Spain and the Spanish people...recommended for pubic school and university libraries” - Libra
Excerpt:
A Figure of Intrigue
ISABELLA now found herself a figure of international importance. The memory of Joan of Arc was still fresh in the minds of the older generation of statesmen. Grave gray heads turned thoughtful in many a European chancellery at the prospect of another girl of equal piety, greater beauty and amazing personal magnetism placing herself at the head of an army, uniting a nation. Dispatches were torn open with impatient hands, and candles burned far into the night as sharp intellects scrutinized the latest news from Spain. And many statesmen, especially Louis of France, whose life work was foreign chaos, concluded that she must be murdered, married or warred against if she did in Castile what Joan of Arc had done in France. Meanwhile they watched and waited.
Farmer’s Wife
If Isabella had been nothing but a farmer’s wife and her husband a mere peasant, all the neighbors for miles around would have been gossiping about her troubles, since nothing is ever quite so fascinating as other people’s private affairs. Since she was queen and Ferdinand king the gossip reached national proportions.
“How will she receive him?” Cabrera asked anxiously. “And do stop crying, Beatriz. I haven’t got any bastard sons up my sleeve!”
“How can I be sure!” Beatriz snapped. Her eyes were swollen and red.
“This isn’t a bit good for the state, you know. As if we were not already disastrously divided! If sovereigns cannot live in unity how can you expect the nation to? Now there will be a Ferdinand-faction and an Isabella-faction, added to all the other factions.”
“Oh no, there won’t! You do not know Isabella. How will she receive him? She will receive him like a queen. That is the only way to curb the brute!”
Her name was Isabella, and despite several attempts by her uncle to marry her off and even murder her and her older brother (got him), she defied corrupt power and married a handsome and powerful rival. Together they did what no one had done in a thousand years.
This book, loved by millions around the world, is again in print and available online and at bookstores everywhere. The Schoonover Collection: Queen’s Cross is the historically accurate classic novel of struggle and victory of early feminist power in the medieval world.
Review quotes:
“The tale of the beautiful and able young Isabella of Castile...illuminating, swift-moving, and filled with color” - The New York Times
“...unfurled in swatches of bright color and sound sentiments, you will like ‘The Queen’s Cross.’ ” - Saturday Review
“...the narrative puts the meat of living flesh on the dry bones of skeletonized history...Schoonover’s best effort to date.” - Chicago Sunday Tribune
“Picaresque, romantic recreation of history...” - Kirkus Book Reviews
“A real contribution to the history of Spain and the Spanish people...recommended for pubic school and university libraries” - Libra
Excerpt:
A Figure of Intrigue
ISABELLA now found herself a figure of international importance. The memory of Joan of Arc was still fresh in the minds of the older generation of statesmen. Grave gray heads turned thoughtful in many a European chancellery at the prospect of another girl of equal piety, greater beauty and amazing personal magnetism placing herself at the head of an army, uniting a nation. Dispatches were torn open with impatient hands, and candles burned far into the night as sharp intellects scrutinized the latest news from Spain. And many statesmen, especially Louis of France, whose life work was foreign chaos, concluded that she must be murdered, married or warred against if she did in Castile what Joan of Arc had done in France. Meanwhile they watched and waited.
Farmer’s Wife
If Isabella had been nothing but a farmer’s wife and her husband a mere peasant, all the neighbors for miles around would have been gossiping about her troubles, since nothing is ever quite so fascinating as other people’s private affairs. Since she was queen and Ferdinand king the gossip reached national proportions.
“How will she receive him?” Cabrera asked anxiously. “And do stop crying, Beatriz. I haven’t got any bastard sons up my sleeve!”
“How can I be sure!” Beatriz snapped. Her eyes were swollen and red.
“This isn’t a bit good for the state, you know. As if we were not already disastrously divided! If sovereigns cannot live in unity how can you expect the nation to? Now there will be a Ferdinand-faction and an Isabella-faction, added to all the other factions.”
“Oh no, there won’t! You do not know Isabella. How will she receive him? She will receive him like a queen. That is the only way to curb the brute!”
Tags: Fiction, Historic, Romance, Spain
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Permalink Reply by Kay on -
Cool!
I did not know anything about Isabella de Castille (other than she was the one who supported Columbus) until reading The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. Albeit Isabella's being only a supporting character and the fact that Ms. Gregory does bend history at times to suit her plots I thought she was a pretty interesting historical figure. The fact that the book you mention is about Isabella and historical accurate too made me add it to my to-be-read list. :)
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