Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power Book

This book covers more than a thousand years of European history, looking at the motives, means and consequences of the murders of - and sometimes murders by - members of Europe's reigning families. In early centuries murder was usually a "family matter", such as that of Richard II by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, famously recreated in Shakespeare's play, while from the 16th century monarchs fell victim to religious fanatics, or were the subjects of witchcraft - in 1589 King James had a coven of witches convicted for raising storms at sea when he was on passage; in the 17th "judicial murder" as part of a revolutionary process began to be seen. Political motives dominated the 19th century, among them the assassination of Alexander II in Russia in 1881 and the death of the Austrian Empress Elizabeth, stabbed by an anarchist; today it is the lone madman who is most feared. A compelling compendium of "who-dunnits", gruesome fellings, witchcraft, infanticide and assassinations that have changed the course of history.Read More