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Mary of Modena (Hardback)

James II's Dazzling Queen

P&S History > Reference P&S History > Royal History P&S History > Social History World History

By Justine Brown
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 208
Illustrations: 30 mono illustrations
ISBN: 9781036117122
Published: 13th November 2025

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The 1688 “Glorious Revolution” that toppled James II and VII also veiled his consort in propaganda. Mary of Modena: James II’s Dazzling Queen reveals the extraordinary woman beneath. Lovely and spirited, Mary Beatrice Isabella d’Este is also England’s sole Italian queen. Her father came from an ancient line, while her mother was one of Cardinal Mazarin’s seven famed nieces (the “Mazarinettes”).

Mary Beatrice learned the rudiments of governance at her widowed mother’s knee, and would one day act as regent of the Stuart court-in-exile—first for King James, then for their son, James Francis Edward. “The Queen over the Water” would shine as a beacon for the Jacobite cause.

Once, Mary Beatrice longed to be a nun. Instead, the young woman had to accept a different mission—marriage to James Duke of York, heir to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Although James’s conversion to Catholicism made their marriage possible, it set off a firestorm of controversy in the mysterious northern realm.

The story of the British Isles was romantic, but the reality was jarring. Thrown into the frenzy of Restoration politics, Mary Beatrice met each fresh episode courageously. Charles II adored his sister-in-law, but MPs strove to annul the “Italian match” before it could be consummated. She and James fell in love, but his philandering nearly broke her.

Building on Este tradition, Mary Beatrice won over the common folk, inspired poets and painters, introduced Italian opera, and drew talented ladies to court. She also attracted her flamboyant Mazarinette cousin Hortense Mancini to England, where she joined King Charles’s harem.

Ultimately, James and Mary Beatrice were coronated with great ceremony, but their troubles were only just beginning. For the first time in English history, it looked like the birth of a healthy prince might actually destroy the monarchy instead of strengthening it…

A brilliant re-examination of this oft overlooked Queen, who deserves far more respect and recognition than she is currently given. Well worth a read.
NetGalley, Sarah Aspden

Well-written and just as well-researched. If you're looking for a readable yet comprehensive introduction to Mary of Modena and the reign of James II, this is the right place to start.
NetGalley, Maja Hansen

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mary of Modena is a queen often overlooked. She technically only occupied the position for two years, as her husband King James VII & II was ousted by his daughter and her husband, the new Queen Mary II and King William III. But Mary of Modena - referred to as Mary Beatrice in the book to avoid confusion with her stepdaughter - wasn’t a quiet, background figure during her husband’s reign or after it. Justine Brown does a fantastic job in guiding us through Mary Beatrice’s life and her influence on those around her.

Mary Beatrice was someone who had to constantly adapt to her environment changing around her due to events outside of her control. She’d hoped to dedicate herself to a convent, but she was chosen to be the second wife of the Duke of York. She made the best of it and decided to use her position to help English Catholics. She eventually had the much-needed son to help secure her husband’s dynasty, but she was to suffer from rumours that the baby boy wasn’t hers, and had been smuggled in through a warming pan. Brown carefully and thoughtfully takes us through all of these events in Mary Beatrice’s life and more, giving enough background information to make sure you know why something has happened, but without giving so much that you lose Mary Beatrice and her actions in the process. It’s a fine balance, and not one that all history books do well, so I was very pleased to not be dragged down in any unnecessary details whilst not feeling like certain things had been overlooked or rushed.

I’d have loved a final chapter on Mary Beatrice’s legacy to the Jacobite movement, as I feel there’s so much more that could be told even after her death (Brown mentions that with her death, ‘a great beacon had gone out’, p. 169). Even so, this was a fantastically written, well paced, and accessible book on a queen who doesn’t receive as much attention as her mother-in-law or step-daughters, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
NetGalley, Hannah Elizabeth Joyce

I found the book fascinating in both its breadth and in its detail, and would thoroughly recommend it.
NetGalley, Jennifer Young

About Justine Brown

Justine Brown was born in Vancouver, Canada, and travelled widely from a young age. She holds an M.A. in English literature from the University of Toronto, where she developed a broad interest in seventeenth century culture. There she became a Junior Fellow of Massey College. The author of three Utopian-themed books, she runs a YouTube history vlog, Justine Brown’s Bookshelf. She lives in London with her husband.

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