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Catherine de Valois
The Legendary Women of World History Book 2
Author: Laurel A. Rockefeller
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Shakespeare was wrong!
In 1401, Catherine de Valois seemed like just another daughter to King Charles VI of France and his wife, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, doomed to live forever in obscurity. That is until she became the excuse King Henry V of England needed in order to declare war with France.
Caught between her father's mental illness and both a civil war at home and war with England, Catherine found the eyes of the Christian world fixed upon her.
Shakespeare would tell her story in his grand history play "Henry V," concealing the real woman she was.
Discover the real Catherine and how this young woman of courage, conviction, and peace changed not just her 15th century world, but the lives of every British and American woman and man born since.
Excerpt from Chapter One.
“Must we do this, Mother?” asked Catherine, pacing furiously.
“What choice do we have, Catherine? The blood of the women and children of Rouen cry out for action. We must meet with King Henry this day or risk further slaughter,” conceded Queen Isabeau, her heart equally furious and grieved at the same time at Henry’s atrocities in Rouen.
“I do not want to meet him! I hate him! I have never heard of any living man being so vile and disgusting to me.”
“It is said that he is otherwise to his own English people, that he governs them kindly and with great skill.”
“But what about the Welsh, Mother? Was he kind to them when he slaughtered them while his father reigned?” countered Catherine. “I know it is my duty as your daughter – but you know how I hate violence, especially against the innocent. How are the Welsh any different than us? All they wanted was to not be slaves to this conqueror. We of all people understand this!”
Before Isabeau could respond, the door opened. Jacques de Heilly entered with a bow, “Your Majesty, Your Highness may I introduce you to Henry, by God’s grace King of England.”
As Montjoie stepped aside to take his traditional place one pace behind the queen, King Henry emerged into the room, his eyes immediately fixing themselves on the beautiful Catherine in her embroidered cotehardie and fur-edged side-less surcoat, the royal fleur-de-lys glistening in gold thread on her gown. For a moment, Henry found himself so moved by Catherine’s beauty that he could not speak. Finally after two minutes, the king took a chivalrous bow, “Good ladies, we meet at last!”
Coolly, Catherine curtsied politely, “Your Majesty.”
Henry, normally so confident and proud stammered, “Y-y-you are more beautiful than I ever dreamed! Truly a vision of all that flowers in France.”
“If you value the beauty of the flowers of France, perhaps you should not have killed so many along the way,” countered Catherine, her rage flaming from her eyes.
Chided, Henry turned to Queen Isabeau, “Your Majesty, you permit your daughter to speak to me like this?”
“Catherine speaks her mind. In that, she is quite her mother’s daughter – and a Bavarian,” smirked Isabeau proudly. “That you slaughtered our people, we concede. That we wish to end this war, we fully declare. But do not think you can force the mind and heart of my daughter in any matter. Though you may, through the brutality that brings us here together, compel a measure of outward obedience, if it is affection of the mind or heart you desire, you would be well to put aside all savage warrior ways and behave yourself like a gentleman.”
Henry blinked in shock. No woman had dared to speak to him so boldly – or venomously. Rather, he was accustomed to fearful pandering – not the confidence of a woman seeing herself as his equal, “I – I do not know what to say. I was not born a prince, though certainly I wear the crown more easily than my father. I,” Henry paused, his pride hurt even as his desire to possess Catherine grew. Marrying Catherine was his birth right; since the death of Princess Isabella, Catherine’s sister and widow to Richard II, all talk had been across his life of his marrying Catherine. Was it not his destiny to marry Catherine? Did she not see it the same way? As his thoughts grew more confused by Catherine’s obvious spite, the rhythm and confidence of his speech waivered, “I have wanted this alliance for many years. I cannot imagine myself with anyone else. Yet do I dream of love, of your love, Catherine. Will you not be my wife?”
“Not out of love, England, for you are my enemy. What am I to you but a trophy to your murders?” burned Catherine.
“If I swear on my very soul to end this campaign this very day and never again kill, will you not agree to marry me?”
“If you never kill again – yes – but there are many things you must agree to in order to make this treaty one and whole,” bargained Catherine confidently.
“I SWEAR IT!”
“God will hold you to your vow, Henry of England,” warned Queen Isabeau. “If you acknowledge this and still so swear, then shall we both draw up the formal terms to be signed once they are ready.”
“God hold me to my vow and strike me down in death if ever my hand spills French blood again!” vowed Henry fiercely.
Author Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Website: The Peers of Beinan Series
Blog: IAN - Author Page
Twitter: @laurelworlds
E-Mail: peersofbeinan@gmail.com
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Author Description: Laurel A. Rockefeller was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska where she received her bachelor of arts from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
In August, 2012 Laurel launched the Peers of Beinan medieval science fiction Series with book one, "The Great Succession Crisis," book one of the Anlei's Legacy trilogy. In March, 2014 in honor of Women's History Month, she launched the Legendary Women of World History Series of biographical novellas for children, teens, and adults. She is also a regular contributor to Yahoo Voices.
Laurel currently lives in Pennsylvania where she is working on book three, "Princess Anyu Returns."
Laurel donates 10% of her earnings as an author to environmental charities focusing on planting trees, conserving wildlife, and ending animal abuse.
Author's Book List
The Poisoned Ground
- The Peers of BeinanTyranny and plague! When a sudden plague of mysterious cancers strikes the southwestern city of Nan-li, it falls to Lady Abbess Cara of house Ten-Ar to investigate, entangling her in a royal trap that may cost her life. A Peers of Beinan Series novella.
Interactive: click on hypertext links to discover more about planet Beinan and Beinarian society.
social issues: rape culture, government corruption, pollution, domestic violence, abuse of power, corporate greed, environment, poverty, re-forestation.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Boudicca: Britain's Queen of the Iceni
- The Legendary Women of World HistoryIn 43 CE Roman conquest of Britannia seems all but certain -- until a chance meeting between King Prasutagus of the Iceni and a runaway slave of royal decent from the Aedui tribe in Gaul changes the fate of the British islands forever.
Based on the accounts of Roman historian Tacitus and supplemented with archaeology presented by the BBC.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
The Lost Tales of the Anlei's Legacy Trilogy
Deleted and forgotten stories, songs, and tales from the Anlei's Legacy Trilogy, books one through three of the Peers of Beinan series: The Great Succession Crisis, the Ghosts of the Past, and Princess Anyu Returns. Presented uncut and unedited in their original forms, these stories not only entertain, but offer a unique window into the world building process. Social issues: rape culture, government corruption, domestic violence, abuse of power, corporate greed, environment, poverty.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
The Ghosts of the Past
- The Peers of Beinan Book 2Terror across Beinan!
Three generations after The Great Succession Crisis, terror ravages Beinarian cities as healing centers planet-wide fall to unseen assailants. Orphaned by two separate terrorist attacks, it falls to Lord Knight Elendir of house Ten-Ar to find the truth and stop the terrorists before they kill everyone he loves and the Gurun dynasty falls.
Book two of the Anlei's Legacy Trilogy.
For teens and adults.
Book Trailer: The Ghosts of the Past
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Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
The Great Succession Crisis
- Extended Edition - The Peers of Beinan Book 1Power play!
Dangerous enemies threaten to destroy the Gurun dynasty when Princess Anlei is suddenly forced into the heart of a game of thrones. Will love -- or politics -- shape Anlei's fate in this classic coming-of-age tale?
For teens and adults age 13 and up.
Interactive: hypertext linked to multi-media content including graphics, videos, and integrated data file entries.
Book one of the Peers of Beinan series. Part one of the Anlei's Legacy Trilogy.
Book Trailer: The Great Succession Crisis
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Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
eBook Author’s Corner
Mystery Reader’s Circle
Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.
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