The Sister Queens: Isabella and Catherine de Valois

Two sisters: born nine years apart to a mad French king during the turbulent years of the Hundred Years War, the bitter series of conflicts that set the House of Plantagenet against the House of Valois. Catherine de Valois, the beautiful young bride of Henry V, conducted a passionate love affair with the young Owain Tudor, with whom she was to found the entire Tudor dynasty. Her sister Isabella was married aged seven to Richard II, subsequently fled England following his murder, only to find her country fatally divided. A gripping tale of love, exile and conflict in a time when even royal women had to fight for survival. AUTHOR: Mary McGrigor was brought up in a 15th century Scottish castle, which cemented her love of history. She is the author of several book, most recently The Other Tudor Princess, the first biography of Henry VIII’s beloved niece and one-time heir to the throne Margaret Douglas (The History Press, Jan 2015). She lives in Argyll, Scotland. SELLING POINTS: . The Hundred Years War, the series of conflicts between the Plantagenets and the House of Valois, told from the perspective of two of its prominent queens . Catherine de Valois was the founder of the Tudor dynasty . Suggests for the first time that James I’s Kingis Quair poem may have been about Catherine de Valois, with whom he was in love, rather than his future wife Joan Beaufort as previously thought. 8pp colour, 16 colour illustrations