I rate this 3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword Publishing for a copy of this ebook. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Brief Summary: The Stuart Dynasty ruled Scotland for nearly 350 and England and Wales for just over a century. Kings and Queen Regnants of the Stuart dynasty loom large in history books for their prowess on the battlefield, diplomatic alliances, and untimely deaths while their spouses are often relegated to less important roles. However, these Queens and Prince Consorts played vital roles in the governance of the British Isles. This book highlights, the spouse of a reigning Stuart Monarch.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. It even taught me some interesting facts about several Stuart Consorts. For example, I knew nothing about George of Denmark, the Prince Consort of Queen Anne. Learning about his life and role in her queenship was entirely new information. I also enjoyed the section on James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. I have read so much about Mary, Queen of Scots, that I never realized I knew practically nothing about him besides his previous marriage to Jean Gordon.

Darise admits this is an introductory primer to each of the consorts and more detailed information should be investigated elsewhere. In that sense, this book accomplishes the job as I have already begun looking into full-length biographies of some of the individuals described. However, I did not find this book an easy read overall. Within each biography, there was a lot of jumping around in the timeline of the person's life. Each subsection focused on a subject of the person's life rather than following a linear timeline making it hard to follow when things happened. There was also a lot of "as previously stated" and "aforementioned" language. Often the use of this language was also confusing because it referenced something in a previous paragraph.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you would like an introduction to the subject of Stuart Consorts. However, if you are looking for a highly detailed book on each of the consorts you should look elsewhere.

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

The first monarch of the Stewart line was Robert II, whose male-line descendants were kings and queens in Scotland from 1371, and of England, Ireland and Great Britain from 1603, until 1714.Mary, Queen of Scots (r. 1542–1567), was brought up in France where she adopted the French spelling of the name Stuart.In 1503, James IV married Margaret Tudor, thus linking the reigning royal houses of Scotland and England. Margaret's niece, Elizabeth I of England died without issue in 1603, and James IV's and Margaret's great-grandson James VI of Scotland acceded to the thrones of England and Ireland as James I in the Union of the Crowns.The Stuarts were monarchs of Britain and Ireland and its growing empire until Queen Anne's death, except for the Commonwealth period from 1649-1660.Nine Stuart monarchs ruled Scotland alone from 1371-1603, the last of whom was James VI, before his accession in England.Two Stuart queens ruled the isles following the Glorious Revolution in 1688: Mary II and Anne. Both were the Protestant daughters of James VII and II by his first wife Anne Hyde.However,neither daughter had any surviving adult children,so the crown passed to the House of Hanover,which had become linked to the House of Stuart through the line of Elizabeth Stuart,Queen of Bohemia.

1. King Robert II of Scotland wed twice: Elizabeth Mure, and Euphemia de Ross
2. King Robert III of Scotland wed Annabelle Drummond
3. King James I of Scotland wed Joan Beaufort
4. King James II of Scotland wed Mary of Guelders
5. King James III of Scotland wed Margaret of Denmark
6. King James IV of Scotland wed Margaret Tudor
7. King James V of Scotland wed twice: Madeleine of France,and Mary of Guise
8. Mary, Queen of Scots wed thrice: Francis II of France,Henry Stuart,Lord Darnley,and James Hepburn,4th Earl of Bothwell
9. King James VI and I wed Anne of Denmark
10. King Charles I wed Henrietta Maria of France
11. King Charles II wed Catherine of Braganza
12. King James II and VII wed twice: Anne Hyde,and Mary of Modena
13. Queen Mary II and her husband King William III co-reigned until her death
14. King William III
15. Anne,Queen of Great Britain wed Prince George of Denmark.

Stuart Spouses by Heather R Darsie is a book which focuses on the spouses of the ruling Stuarts of Scotland. Darsie's book spans the length of royals from the time Scotland was its own country, all the way to those who also ruled as England's royal.

There are some lesser-known spouses in here, some that had never even really come into the periphery of my reading of history; others are more commonly known, whether it be for the brutal end they suffered or for the feats they attempted while alive. I do recommend this book to those looking to learn more, however, Darsie does not devote a ton of time to each individual, really highlighting the highs and lows of their matrimonial career. It is still worth picking up, to get you started.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

This book explores the lives and influence of the Stuart monarchs’ spouses, from 1406 to 1714. It reveals their often-overlooked roles in shaping the history of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales. The book is interesting informative, and easy to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

An interesting read that made me learn more about the Stuart and the women who were married to the kings. Informative, well reseached, good storytelling
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A very well-researched yet accessible book on the Stuart/Stewart dynasty. I took an Early British history course in college so I had a little bit of retained knowledge from that, but Heather Darsie managed to fill in the gaps of my memory while also relaying new (to me) information such as the Stuart’s start in Scottish royalty. And unlike my professor, for material that can sometimes be pretty dry imo, Darsie does a fantastic job of getting the point across in a succinct way without making me want to snooze. The poems that the author selected that were written by or for the Stuart spouses were a really lovely addition as well.

Thank you NetGalley, Pen & Sword and Heather R. Darsie for the opportunity to review this eARC!

English royal history is filled with fantastic stories of triumphs and tribulations, grand romances, and divorces that shook the foundations of the monarchy. It is also filled with struggles over religion, wars both inside England and with foreign nations, and heartbreaking child losses. We often think about the spouses of the Plantagenets and the Tudors when we think about royal romances, but we shouldn’t forget about the dynasties that came after, like the Stuarts. So how did the Stuart dynasty come to be and how did the unions between monarchs and their significant others affect the dynasty and England? Heather R. Darsie explores this often-overlooked dynasty and the stories of their marriages and romances in her latest book, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of England to Queen Anne of Great Britain.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I didn’t know much about the Stuarts before reading this book, except for those associated with the Plantagenets and the Tudors. I wanted to learn more about the Stuarts because I tend to stop after the death of Elizabeth I, so when I heard that Darsie was writing a book about the consorts of the Stuart dynasty, it was intriguing to me.

Darsie begins by explaining that she will be exploring the entirety of the Stuart dynasty, starting with its patriarch Walter Fitzalan, Stewart of Scotland for David I of Scotland in the 1100s. It is a fascinating story of how the family went from serving the monarchy to being the rulers of Scotland, all the way up to 1406 when James I became King of Scotland. The first royal consort that Darsie discusses might be familiar to anyone who knows about the origins of the Tudors, Joan Beaufort. We then track the Scottish story of the Stuarts through the death of Mary Queen of Scots through their significant others such as Mary of Guelders, Margaret of Denmark, Margaret Tudor, Madeleine of Valois, Marie de Guise, Francis II of France, Henry Stewart Lord Darnley, and James Hepburn 4th Earl of Bothwell.

It was under James VI of Scotland that things changed drastically for both England and Scotland as James became King James I of England with the death of Elizabeth I, and so James’ wife Anna of Denmark became the first Stuart Queen of England. This is the segment that I thoroughly enjoyed because they were new stories for me. We have Henriette Marie of France, a Catholic queen who married Charles I who was a Protestant, which did not have a happy ending as we get to see the English Civil War play out and the execution of Charles I on January 30, 1649. Darsie also includes the stories of the women who married Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard Cromwell, both Lord Protectors of England when the monarchy was not popular. Eventually, the Stuarts returned to their place on the English throne with Charles II and his queen Catherine of Braganza; followed by the women who married James Stewart Duke of York, Anne Hyde and Mary of Modena. James would become James II before the Glorious Revolution led by William of Orange, which led to the co-rulers William III and Mary II. Finally, we reach the tragic tale of Queen Anne of Great Britain and her Prince Consort George of Denmark.

I was so impressed with the amount of stories over centuries that Darsie was able to cover in this book. It was a fantastic introduction to Scottish Stuart history, how the dynasty survived, and created international relationships that allowed England to thrive. There were tales of tragedies, but there were also alliances that created stronger bonds, religious rifts, and romances. This was another triumph for Darsie and it is a book that made me interested in reading more about the Stuarts. If you are like me and you want a book that is a fantastic introduction to the Stuart monarchs and their consorts, I highly recommend you read, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of England to Queen Anne of Great Britain” by Heather R. Darsie.

I love reading about historical women from all walks of life. This book, as the title suggests, is about Stuart queens. It gives the reader a short biography of the different queens and gives other information about the Britain in the late 16th to the early 18th century. A good start into the Stuart era.

I especially enjoyed the timelines and the family trees the author included at the start of the book. Made it easy to follow.

Wonderful look into the people that walked through their lives with the powerful people of their days and and age. A very good read!!

For many, the history of the Stuarts (or Stewarts) rings bells of familiarity. Many have heard of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots, King James VI and I, or maybe even King Charles I. But, how did the Stuart line start? And, how did it end? Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain by Heather R. Darsie tells the story of the Stuarts through its consorts. A huge thank you to Pen & Sword Books and Net Galley for providing a copy of this book.

The Stuart story begins in the 12th century when a Walter Fitzalan travelled from England to Scotland to serve King David I. Fascinatingly, Fitzalan rose to the position of Steward of Scotland. And thus, the surname Stewart was adopted. Throughout this book, readers will travel through the centuries to encounter the familiar, and not so familiar, Stuart spouses from the first consort, Euphemia de Ross, to the last Stuart consort, George of Denmark.

To write such an account of the Stuarts is no small undertaking. At the start of the book, Darsie acknowledges that its purpose is to provide readers with an overview of the Stuart monarchs and their spouses. As someone who spends a lot of time in the Tudor period, I feel that this book has sparked my own interest in the Stuarts. Not only does this book introduce readers to countless individuals who may previously have been unfamiliar, but it has also helped to make some important links between people and events occurring from the 15th-17th centuries in England and France.

This book is rich in detail. Furthermore, the style of writing is highly accessible. Stuart Spouses is filled with fascinating stories, and frequently draws on the primary sources to further build on the lives of these enthralling individuals. Additionally, the inclusion of a selection of relevant poems in the appendix beautifully complements the main body of text to bring the Stuart monarchs and their spouses to life.

Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain is a well written and truly fascinating read that will whet the appetite of its readers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to learning more about the Stuarts in the future.

Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain by Heather R. Darsie was published by Pen & Sword Books in the UK on October 2nd, 2024.

A fascinating look at the queens and consorts who loved and hated the rulers of Scotland and forged an empire.

Stuart spouses focuses on the often disregarded by history consorts of the Stuart monarchs. I found it to be a well researched and fascinating portrait of people who were so important at one time in history but have been largely overshadowed by their spouses. I will definitely be adding this to my bookshelves and don’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in this period of history. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review..

I have once again turned to the Stuarts in my non-fiction reading! This has definitely been my Stuart year and I’m happy to be rounding it out with Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain by Heather R. Darsie. I requested and received an eARC of this title via NetGalley. When thinking of the Stuarts, the first things that often come to mind are sex and tragedy. Charles II was known for his numerous lovers, James VI & I for his dalliances with men, Charles I for the end of his reign, and Anne for her numerous, devastating miscarriages and deaths of her children. The Stuart consorts have often existed in the background, but in Stuart Spouses, Darsie pulls them from the shadows and brings their stories to the forefront.

I think when looking at this title, due to my own silliness, I expected this to be a quick overview from Anne of Denmark to George of Denmark. Stuart Spouses starts much earlier, with the first Stewart monarchs in Scotland. This was an unexpected surprise and I found this material to be really interesting. Most of my nonfiction reading centers on the English monarchy, so I had many gaps in my knowledge here that were filled in as I read Darsie’s work. Darsie also chooses to include Elizabeth Bouchier and Dorothy Maijor, the wives of Oliver and Richard Cromwell. Although not much is known about either women, I really appreciated their inclusion. It helped to smooth the gap between Henriette Maria and Catherine of Braganza and was very interesting reading. I found Elizabeth Bouchier to be particularly fascinating. I think my favorite section, however, in Darsie’s compendium was the bit about Madeleine of Valois the “Summer Queen.” Her story is both somewhat romantic and tragic. I also found the sections about Mary of Modena and George of Denmark to be very informative, as these are both figures that I have frequently encountered in my reading but felt I didn’t know much about.

I really appreciated Darsie’s direct writing style. Everything is explained very succinctly and in a very straightforward manner. The author doesn’t offer character judgments of the individuals presented in the text, but rather allows the reader to make their own inferences from the facts and anecdotes presented in the text. As previously mentioned, without thorough investigation (you know, like glancing at the “James I of Scotland” in the title), I initially thought this book would be something slightly different. It certainly exceeded my expectations. Rather than simply reaffirming or deepening my understanding of the English Stuart monarchs and their consorts, it expanded it (clearly I need to read a bit more Scottish history!) In Stuart Spouses, Daisies weaves together a rich tapestry of history that is both accessible and immensely enjoyable to read.

I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the Stuarts, I know a lot about the Tudor era but not the Stuarts. It was written in a way that worked in this type of book and thought Heather R. Darsie wrote this perfectly. It had that history element that I was expecting and glad it was so well done.