Princess of the Blood: A Tapestry of Love and War in Sixteenth-Century France

by Brigitte Goldstein

The year is 1588. Religious strife between Catholics and Huguenots has ravaged the Kingdom of France for decades. Spring maneuvers take Count Philippe de Treffort, captain in the Catholic League, to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1954932944
• ISBN13: 9781954932944
• Release Date: July 2021
• Publisher: Pierredor Books
• Length: 628 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Princess of the Blood

Review: Brigitte Goldstein's Princess of the Blood Sixteenth Century France brims over with passion, intrigue and devastating war as Huguenots battle the Catholic League in Brigitte Goldstein's brilliant historical novel, Princess of the Blood. The larger story of political strife toward religious freedom is told through the eyes and desires of Sandrine Legrand and Philippe, Count of Treffort-Salignac. Sandrine, the peasant child left in the care of the vicious innkeeper and his reticent wife, is the village scapegoat, assaulted and attacked from all directions. She finds strength within herself and in the support of caring friends and the writings of Marguerite of Navarre. Philippe's arrival at the inn, conflicted and tired from battle, leads them to affirmations of enduring love. When their lives intersect, circumstances drive them apart and their search for each other follows the meanderings of the civil war. The gradual unraveling of the mysteries of Sandrine's beginnings is set against palace intrigue, assassinations, trials and tribulations of inhumane proportions. Sandrine is forced into an unconsummated marriage only to be accused of witchery and tried. Rescued by Philippe and his friends, her recovery from torture is slow while Philippe is called to arms yet again in the service of the church. His conflict deepens and again separated from Sandrine, not knowing if she survives, he retreats and finds his sympathies for the Huguenot cause growing; filial loyalty locks him in conflict with his domineering, fanatical father. Sandrine, pregnant and alone, is taken up by a traveling group of gypsy actors who offer protection, sympathy and family. Their politically charged play brings them to the unwanted attention of the authorities and Sandrine is again imprisoned when she rejects the attentions of Hachette, the prefecture of police. The Siege of Paris is well underway on her release. Fearing for her son Noel's life, Sandrine secretly gives him over to the care of Philippe's fiancé, Louise. The siege worsens and Sandrine manages to steal foods from church sources, living by her wits and daring until an attempted rape leads to the death of a monk. Hachette comes forward, claiming to be able to identify the Witch of Chartres. Helped by the King of the Underground, Sandrine escapes the city. She then sets out to learn of her origins, hoping to reunite with her son and lover. In Book 2 of this enchanting and wide-ranging tale, Goldstein brings the threads of the story to a conclusion. With the murder of Henri III, the Huguenot Henri (IV) of Navarre ascends the throne, brings a welcome peace to the nation and eventually wins over the citizenry by stint of his conversion to Catholicism. Sandrine finds the answer to her questions in her yellow rose tattoo, symbol of the house of Montauban; she is the survivor of a massacre, a cousin to the new king, a Princess of the Blood. Re-tried on the witchery and murder charges, she prevails and wins over