Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone Literary Analysis Essay Example

Nancy Goldstone is a medieval historical writer with two other published works coauthored by her husband. Goldstone's narrative Four Queens: The provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe. It explores the stories of four sisters Marguerite, Eleanor, Sanchia, and Beatrice of Provence, who derive from humble beginnings to become some of the most influential women in their time. The sisters ascended as Queen to some of the most powerful countries in Europe, France, England, Germany, and Sicily. 

Marguerite, the oldest, was the married King Louis IX of France. They started insulating the family's dynasty of being one of the most powerful families in Europe. Her marriage was arranged due to Frances's need for an ally and Provence's being an inroad for imperial territory. Consequently, Goldman conveys that the obscurity of the Berenger's royal marriage catapulted her sister's desirability to suitors. Therefore, Goldstone emphasizes that subsequent upsurge in social status sparks the Berenger's family to have more wide-speared influence. This is seen with Eleanor marrying Henry III of England to whom, similar to France, wanted to use Provence to further his political ambitions.  Moreover, thirteenth-century Europe changed due to the four Berenger sister's actions. The event is if Marguerite had not gone on her husband's Louis IX crusade and held the city of Damietta for him. He might have never been ransomed from the Egyptians and thus never returned to France. Goldman chronicles the event by stating, "by deciding on herself when the reigning knight, the duke of Burgundy, was floundering, Marguerite prevented the slaughter or starvation of hundreds of Frenchmen" (p. 143). Thus, the situation happened when Marguerite had just given birth to her son Jean Tristian. The Queen also brought the ransom to free her husband, released after six days. 

 Sanchia of Provence was regarded as the most beautiful sister, and she was known to be shy and pious. She married Earl Richard of Cornwall, King Henry III's brother. Unlike her sisters, her only political influence was in her name by her association with one of the most powerful families in Europe. Regardless, she did come in handy when at the meeting between the King of France and England in Paris on Christmas day in 1954.Furthermore, Goldman references her diplomacy by mentioning," her retiring personality and public piety recommended her to Louis" (p. 206). Goldman implies that Sachia's shy character added calmness to the meeting for once. The two Queens of France and England would help foster peace and recast relations between France and England. (p. 200). In brief, the sisters Eleanor and Marguerite engineered peace between England and France.

Finally, Beatrice was the heiress to Provence. Beatrice married Charles I of Anjou Louis's brother due to the ambition of suitors. Due to the accomplishments of her older sisters, she always had competition. On Christmas of 1259, Marguerite added to this fire by publicly humiliating her sister. She would not let Beatrice sit with her sisters due to her not being a queen. When Beatrice complained to her husband about the incident, Goldstone exhibits Charlies of Anjou's reply by saying," 'Be at Peace' he told his wife, 'For I will shortly make the greater queen than them' (p. 227). Goldstone clarifies that Sicily in the thirteenth century was a critical country as it was the southern boot of Italy. In addition, Beatrice's political ambition guided her to impact history as she and Charlies were crowned King and Queen of Sicily. Sadly, not long after she was crowned, she died. 

Goldman's Four Queens is an intriguing tale of four daughters, a count of whom were not rich nor royal, for some reason all become queens. The narrative intertwines the sister's stories by changing each chapter to chapter by changing from each sister. Additionally, Goldstone lacks footnotes that provide validity and acknowledge the author's sources. More research into primary sources would have drawn up more woman's perspectives and thus added a more 'authentic" voice to the accounts. Moreover, Goldstone's thesis of the sisters theorized that they were "most celebrated and powerful women" as a result, Europe changed due to the family's actions. In 1254, Eleanor made the unfortunate choice to go from England to France to join her husband. To whom busy due to his lands being under threat from Alfonso of Castile. Goldstone states, "Her husband's military failure meant that Eleanor was also in danger"(p. 97). Goldstone's thesis is confirmed wrong as Eleanor's bravery did not influence the battle's outcome. Goldstone admits Alfonso had no intention of attacking in the first place.

Goldstone has an attractive section at the back of the book that answers questions. One of the intriguing questions is the question of the similarities between the crusade of Louis IX and the American involvement past involvement in Iraq. She implies that both the military's involvement is eerie and that both parties had religious reasons for going. Goldstone remarks, "Both entered into a foreign entanglement possessed of precious little knowledge of their opponent political and cultural landscape"(p. 7). This is shown in the imagery of the horizon being spread with headless "French corpses." Louis's lack of knowledge of the territory leads many Frenchmen to death.

Four Queens: The provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe is a thought-provoking narrative about the lives of one of the most compelling Berenger's sisters. Goldstone's book will undoubtedly provide younger generations with more information on The Provençal Sisters. Her portrayal will invoke curiosity not only from scholars but also European nobility, youth, and other medieval historians.