Seven Sovereign Queens

“It was an odd family to be born into. When not marrying, they were murdering one another.”

Here are the personal stories of sovereign queens and empresses famous in world history, expertly chosen by Geoffrey Trease not only for their historical importance but also for their dramatic personalities and their intriguing personal lives.

Their reigns span time from the ancient world to the 18th century, from Cleopatra to Catherine the Great

Trease vividly recreates settings ranging from Christina’s Sweden to Isabella’s Spain, and from Roman Britain to the Vienna of Maria Theresa.

The author’s customary insight and inviting style bring his subjects to life not only as outstanding rulers but as women whose stories have fascinated the world.

Seven Sovereign Queens is an engaging collection of biographies full of excitement and human interest.

Praise for Geoffrey Trease

“Geoffrey Trease has certainly got the knack. He can write for young people, in this case mainly for teenagers, without being obvious. The excitement is there where fact permits. So is the lucidity, with events all round the world fitting smoothly into their proper place and time” - The Daily Telegraph

“I found it a fascinating book. I wish that all history books were so inviting and intelligent.” - Naomi Lewes, BBC

“History at its most agreeable and readable.” - Time and Tide

Geoffrey Trease (1909-1998) was the author of more than one hundred books, including children’s books. He revolutionised children’s literature and was one of the first authors to deliberately appeal to both boys and girls through strong leading characters of both genders. In 1966 Trease won the New York Herald Tribune Book Award for This is Your Century. Geoffrey Trease was educated at Oxford University and travelled widely in Europe and beyond. He lived in Herefordshire on the slopes of the Malvern Hills.