Queens at War: England's Medieval Queens Book Four
by Alison Weir

This book continues the series featuring England’s Queens and covers the pivotal women that were alive during The Hundred Years War and The Wars of the Roses.

The time period that this gem covers is roughly 1403-1485 and features:

Joan of Navarre
Katherine of Valois
Margaret of Anjou
Elizabeth Widville
Anne Neville

This is a wonderful book that not only highlights these fascinating and complex women, but also recaps the historical events that took place during their time but also, I feel, adds context to potentially explain why they did well…what they did. It really helps add another layer of depth to their stories.

As a seasoned reader of English history, a lot of this I did already know, however most will find a good amount new and enlightening. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t immensely enjoy this, because I sure did. I just love diving into a new Alison Weir book, as I hope other readers will, too.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 12/2/25.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. This is the third of this series I've read, and the one I've been waiting for. The queens during the Wars of the Roses were formidable in their own right, and their stories (and intersections between each of their lives) is just fascinating. Weir does a good job sticking to the facts/historical story without getting too academic. An interesting read for anyone who wants to see a woman's influence in the Wars of the Roses.

Alison Weir knows how to bring history to a wider audience. She knows her stuff and how to present it without it being dry and tedious. This book is no exception and is the final book in a four-part Medieval Queens series. Even if you believe you know everything there is about a certain Queen - you will find something you didn't know. The author will present both sides without taking one and as a diehard Ricardian I appreciate that. This was a very enjoyable series and one to purchase to keep with your collection. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Excellent as always! I appreciate the author's writing style and her meticulous research. She offers several fresh interpretations of events and actions that were previously understood differently, which I found very engaging. While the descriptions of battles and troop movements can become a bit detailed, I understand that battle descriptions are to be expected in a book about queens at war. Despite this, the author maintains a good pace throughout, preventing the narrative from getting bogged down in repetitive battle accounts. I highly recommend it!

A truly outstanding finish to Alison Weir’s series about the Queens of England, prequels to her books on Henry VIII and his children. I hope this won’t be end for Alison Weir’s books, as I started reading them in college and I want to continue.

Alison Weir always writes a strong historical book and enjoyed the feel of this fourth entry in the England's Medieval Queens series. I was able to learn a lot about this and that this was a strong conclusion to this series and how everything was told from the historical research that I've come to expect from Alison Weir. I enjoyed this and am excited to read more from Alison Weir as each book has been perfectly written.

This is a really interesting story of some of the women who played major roles in British history, queens whose names are familiar even if their stories are far less known or discussed. These women had far more complex lives than many British history books show. They were the guidance behind thrones, leaders of armies, and all sorts of roles that historians are piecing together from the historical record.