Book Review: The Warrior Queens by Antonia Fraser

Book Review:  “The Warrior Queens:  The Legends and the Lives of the Women Who Have Led Their Nations in War” by Antonia Fraser


Before there was Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and other contemporary women historians and writers, there was Antonia Fraser.  Many years ago, in her heyday, I read everything she wrote that I could get my hands on.  There was “Mary, Queen of Scots, “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”, “King Charles II” and a biography of Marie Antoinette, among others.  Her non-fiction books were the gold standard of history.  But somehow I missed “The Warrior Queens”.  

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Boudica, the Celtic queen of the Iceni tribe who rose up in rebellion against the occupying Romans in Britain in the mid-first century.  I had heard she burned London to the ground!  What an amazing story.  I had to learn more.  Apparently, Fraser felt the same way.  The writing of this book was born out by her love of the story of Boudica.  Most of the book is dedicated to Boudica’s story, relating it to the lives of other women who led their nations in war.  Many of the women in this book I have heard of such as Matilda, Countess of Tuscany, the Empress Matilda of England and her cousin King Stephen’s wife Matilda of Boulogne, the twelfth century Georgian Queen Tamara, Isabella of Castile, and Queen Elizabeth I of England.  These are some of my favorite women of history.

Fraser gives us the story of these women leading their troops into war in her inimitable intellectual manner which is very compelling.  Her history is fair and balanced, engaging and fun.  Her historical arguments make good sense.  I especially found the story of the Rani of Jhansi to be captivating.  She led her troops against the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.  I knew nothing about her so it was refreshing to learn of her convictions and bravery.

Her final subjects are Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher.  It is interesting to see Fraser’s perspective on these modern women and their role in war.  This book is women’s history at its finest.  I can’t recommend it enough.  I couldn’t put it down.