Kathryn Warner's "Daughters of Edward I" sheds light on a lesser-explored aspect of medieval English history: the lives and legacies of Edward I's daughters. It is clear that the author conducted meticulous research. Warner intertwines the narratives of Eleanor of Bar, Joan of Acre, Margaret of Brabant, Mary of Woodstock, and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, revealing the roles these women played within the social and political landscape of their time. From Mary's independent spirit to Joan's fearless defiance, each daughter emerges as a distinct and compelling character, shaped by the events of her time.

NetGalley, June Lee

Edward I and Eleanor of Castile were one of the great love matches of the middle-ages. They were married for more than 20 years but lost many of their children. Famously, only one of their sons survived into adulthood, and he was the youngest. By contrast, they have 5 surviving daughters: and no biography of Edward can ignore them.

This is not, of course a biography of Edward, but of him, Eleanor of Castile, and Edward I, told through the lives and careers of their daughters and Edward’s older sisters. There was Eleanor, Joan of Acre, Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. Their epithets testify to Edward’s eventful reign: Joan was born in the Holy Land whilst her father was on crusade and her life bookended his reign: she was born the year he became King and died the same year as her father.

As usual, Kathryn Warner has bought the colourful lives and struggles of these five women and their male relatives to life through the historical records. Many millions of people today are descended from the daughters of Edward I: and so were prominent figures from British and European History, including Henry 5 of Henry VIII’s wives and at least one King of France.

This is an excellent companion to Kelsey Wilson Lee’s biography of Edward I’s daughters. The books complement each other without competing.

NetGalley, Joanna Arman

I love books about medieval times and especially the royals. This book is interesting especially as there isn’t much officially recorded about the five princess that the book is about. Interesting details about the English royal life through the births, education and marriages of five sisters and their individual roles within their father’s political world and the author explores the relationship between the sisters and their father and also their brother, who became Edward II and also their nephew who became Edward III. There are lots of names and dates repeated which could get confusing but there are useful lists at the back of the book so that you can keep track of who is who but I did have to reread some of the pages to fully understand. It’s full of fascinating facts and is a really interesting read and I learnt a lot about this time in history and about these women.

NetGalley, Antonella McFadyen

"I would definitely recommend this for fans of Medieval history."

4/5 Stars

Leanne Tuck - Good Reads

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kathryn Warner writes with confidence and a clear knowledge and understanding of her subject in this book.

Little notice is usually taken of the children of monarchs who do not inherit the title, particularly if they are female. Kathryn has redressed that balance with this book, focussing on the daughters of Edward I and the role they played in the history of England. It is well written and easy to understand. There are explanations of situations that arise,

Kathryn Warner is a respected historian, who is clearly enthusiastic about her subject, and this shows.

Well recommended to "fill in the gaps" in medieval history knowledge.

NetGalley, Caryl Blake

Kathryn's account of the daughters of Edward I is nothing short of fascinating, a true love story from the early middle ages...

Books Monthly

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Video review by Dr Alexander Clarke

The daughters of Edward I is a brilliant narrative of not only the lives of the daughters but also the events occurring in England at the time. The daughters lived different lives, from taking the veil to moving abroad to marry and Warner discusses events that impacted them and their children.
I loved the story of Mary, the daughter who became a nun but continued to live a pretty independent life, leaving the Abbey when she wished and visiting family. Joan of Acre was also independent and was not afraid to do as she wished and face the wrath of her father. The sisters clearly had a solid, close relationship all evidenced through Warner's meticulous research.

As someone trying to branch out on my history this was invaluable. I found it extremely interesting to read about the affection Edward I showed his daughters, it is a shame the same could not be said on all accounts of Edward II to his sisters and their children. I would have loved to know the sisters thoughts on Hugh Despenser but unfortunately we don't know.

There are many Edwards and Eleanor's in this book but it's not as confusing as may be expected as Warner does a great job of clarifying who's who. Warner notes that if Edward I son Alfonso had survived it would have become a popular name so we'd be reading about many Alfonso's today.

If you are looking to learn about these women and their relationships then this book is perfect but I'd also recommend to those wishing to read more about Edward I and his son Edward II.

Warner has a great easy to read writing style so whilst this is nonfiction it's not difficult to get stuck in to.

NetGalley, Amy McElroy

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating, enlightening and entertaining. Such rich detail and a knowledgeable foundation to spur the reader on to find out even more if they wish to. A big tick from me!

NetGalley, Annemarie Doust

The author clearly knows in minute detail the relationships and political tensions between all the family members and their offspring. I particularly enjoyed reading about the disastrous reign of Edward 11 and his relationship with his wife Queen Isabella. Also the information in the Epilogue about the ancestry lines to the present day was fascinating.

I would recommend this book to all those interested in this era and some preliminary knowledge of the Plantagenets would help the reader to follow the thread of the various stories. The book is an excellent reference text for those studying the times of the Plantagenet Kings, giving a valued contribution to our understanding of the lives of women at this time.

Alison Wall, Local History Group

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I loved this book! Such history! I was so excited to receive this book due to I just love everything about this time in history. I am trying to branch out and wanted to learn more about Edward I etc.

NetGalley, Heather Michael

Daughters of Edward I by Kathryn Warner is an interesting book, well worth reading. The amount of details Warner could find out in her research is pretty impressive considering that all these women lived in mid 13th century, so there are very few records still surviving today. The book covers all of Edward I’s children, and also grandchildren, but the focus is on his daughters. Edward I married Leonor of Castile in 1254 when he was a teenager. They had 14 children, but it is possible that they had a couple more that were not recorded properly. From these 14 children, only 6 survived into childhood and while Edward II’s reign is known, not much is widely known about his sisters... I would recommend it without any doubt.

Read the full review here

Coffee and Books

Kathryn Warner's overview of the daughters of Edward I of England and Leonor of Castile is a small masterpiece of research.

The unfortunate reality is that very little about these women has survived the test of time, not to mention what few things were officially recorded during their actual lifetime. What I did appreciate, however, was Warner's ability to bring these women to life in very human ways that attested to their interpersonal relationships as well as their role in politics. Even noting what information has and hasn't survived was a learning experience. The past is never fully preserved, and I really appreciated how Warner brought that out by showing us how much we could distill from even small pieces of history.

Recommended to anyone who wants to brush up on a post-Prince John and Richard the Lionheart England, history enthusiasts, and people who would like to know more about the mysterious Middle Ages (which honestly deserve more attention).

NetGalley, Patricia J

Warner did a wonderful job of researching the material... an interesting read.

NetGalley, Lora Angley

An interesting read about women I honestly didn't know a thing about previously. Edward I's daughters really aren't a topic of discussion, but they're very interesting women. I'd love to read more about Mary of Woodstock (the nun) and Joan of Acre.

NetGalley, Caidyn Young

Kathryn Warner did her usual meticulous research to write Daughters of Edward I. This book is jam packed with information, and brings to life the lives of women who are typically overlooked once they were married. An excellent resource.

NetGalley, Sheila Lynn

Really enjoyed this! No matter how many books I read about English history, there are always new fascinating stories to unearth. This book humanized the characters and provided glimpses into daily life in medieval Europe. A reexamination of the daughters of Edward I is both timely and appreciated. I'll be recommending this one!

NetGalley, Josh Coe

Warner has taken on the difficult task of trying to uncover the stories of the daughters of Edward I and Leonor of Castile and has given readers a resource that can prove valuable in understanding this complex family dynamic. There were parts where the writing was a touch dry for my taste, but overall I found it a stimulating reading and that is because of the laborious research that Warner partook to tell their tales and the tales of their descendants. If you want a meticulously researched resource that tells the stories of women who knew Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III well, “Daughters of Edward I” by Kathryn Warner is the perfect book for you to add to your collection.

NetGalley, Heidi Malagisi

This book is packed full of information, starting with a practically unheard of happy marriage between Edward I and his wife, Leonor. It was interesting to learn about their children, particularly the daughters in such detail as their influence was relatively unheard of at the time.

NetGalley, Lauren Hudspeth

This book is about more than just the daughters of Edward I. With the information presented, you can dive into the web of the royal family - the who's who of the time.

Kathryn Warner did a great job of bringing as much information as she could about the five daughters of Edward I, and their ups and downs throughout life.

I enjoyed reading through this book!

NetGalley, Rebecca Hill

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating family history. As Warner says early on in her book, the chronicles are often silent on the lives of medieval women. Even female royalty are passed over in scant references to their dates of marriage, offspring and death. This book wonderfully fills in the blanks in the map, in giving the reader a portrait of each of the daughters of Edward I.
Following her tremendous biography of Edward II, Warner turns her attention to his sisters, and the result is a frequently moving and revelatory family chronicle. Edward I and his Queen Leonor seem to have had a very close relationship with their daughters, and I was often surprised by their remarkably permissive interactions - such as the King paying off his daughter's gambling debts!
Highly recommend this book for those interested in medieval history, these women deserve to be remembered not only as the ancestors of Henry V, Richard III and Margaret of Anjou, but as vital and varied characters living in a time of cultural upheaval.

NetGalley, Ash Caton

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A history book that is centered around the children of Edward I, while describing an intricate web of royal families and the nobility of the 13th and 14th centuries. An informative and well-researched read, split into easy-to-digest chapters. Whenever the author is discussing a person, she gives context and interpretation, which allows you to see the big picture of who is related to whom throughout Europe.
Despite being hopeless at history myself, I truly enjoyed this.

NetGalley, Anita Salát

Kathryn Warner presents a fascinating view of the medieval King Edward I's relationship with his royal daughters. The author did an excellent job at describing how Edward I related to each of his daughters from childhood to adulthood. Although the book is titled Daughters of Edward I, the book explores the many relationships between Edward I his wife Eleanor of Castile, his in-laws, and even his grandchildren.

Daughters of Edward I vividly brings to life characters who would otherwise be obscure historical figures. I found the book very readable. The book can be enjoyed by a scholar or someone with a casual interest in history. I have read many books about Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III, but Kathryn Warner still surprised me with interest facts I had never come across in my reading.

If you are fascinated by Edward I and want to learn more about his many daughters and sons, I highly recommend this book. Besides presenting King Edward I's daughters and following their life from birth to death, the author includes many compelling details about Edward II, his son Edward III, and the many problems which plagued their reign and their lives.

NetGalley, Elizabeth Crowley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A delightful & insightful portrait of five exceptional princesses, the daughters of Edward Longshanks, one of England's most revered monarchs.
An informative and utterly compelling tapestry of late 13th century English royal life through the births, educational journeys and marital destinies of five sisters and their individual roles in their father's political spectrum.
Anyone interested by Medieval civilization and its little known histories should definitely enjoy this very detailed look at royal children and their rather peripatetic upbringing during a rather tumultuous period of English history. Ms Warner has gifted us with a worthy addition to the historiography of the Plantagenets and their magnificent world. An elegant and very detailed achievement that I found personally very engrossing
& totally satisfying!

NetGalley, Jean Luc Estrella