As you might expect, the length of time between some of the deaths and the present day is such that the details are vague, but Edge does an impressive job of weaving together contemporary accounts to provide stories likely to at least resemble the experiences of the dying monarchs and those around them. In other cases (notably Richard III, King of the Carpark), despite the passage of time, vivid detail is possible as a result of new technology. So it's very educational. And I loved the fact we get the context, of the reign in question in each case. I actually wanted MORE detail of their ruling years in many cases, but this information is available elsewhere of course. The point of the book is to look at how each died. I really enjoyed this, despite most of the information was something I knew before especially up to Tudors so there wasn't much new info there for me. But once Tudors were passed, I learnt a small amount of things that I didn't know before. Though I don't mind being told the same information mutiple times regarding my special interest (the period of history that starts with Plantagenets and ends with the Tudors, though I have been exploring history fiction and non fiction that don't fit this parameter this year, which have been interesting. But I don't know the later periods by heart as do the medieval ages). I mean, I've read certain peoples stories, both non fiction and fiction mutiple times in different books. Like I've read the an authors interpretation of someone like Anne Boleyn life mutiple times and never got bored. And I'll happy read more in the future.

Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths | Goldsboro Books

From the "bloody" fascinating story behind Oliver Cromwell's demise and the subsequent treatment of his corpse and whether the arrow William II caught in the chest was an accident or murder, to Henry IV's remarkable skin condition and the red-hot poker up Edward II's rear end, Mortal Monarchs captivates, grosses-out, and informs.The pathology side of this book is very strong. Piecing together all the clues about how how a king who lived centuries ago died made the book compulsively readable. There's some great detective work in here and I learnt a lot. We take the "George III had porphyria" theory for granted nowadays, but Dr Edge makes some really good points challenging it. From the "bloody" fascinating story behind Oliver Cromwell's demise and the subsequent treatment of his corpse and whether the arrow William II caught in the chest was an accident or murder, to Henry IV's remarkable skin condition and the red-hot poker up Edward II's rear end, Mortal Monarchs captivates, grosses-out and informs. From the “bloody” fascinating story behind Oliver Cromwell’s demise and the subsequent treatment of his corpse and whether the arrow William II caught in the chest was an accident or murder, to Henry IV’s remarkable skin condition and the red-hot poker up Edward II’s rear end, Mortal Monarchs captivates, grosses-out and informs. Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths by Suzie Edge is a chronological exploration of the deaths of the Kings and Queens of Scotland and England. I first heard about it on one of my favourite podcasts, Betwixt the Sheets by the brilliant Kate Lister and was drawn in by the promise of guts and gore. Happily, it really delivered. And interestingly, I took from this the point that the reported death of each is what the chroniclers WANTED us to think about both the deaths and the lives of the people who ruled us. Those who weren't liked were, coincidentally, historically remembered for grisly or morally 'just' deaths:

Mortal Monarchs by Suzie Edge | Hachette UK

From the bloody fascinating story behind Oliver Cromwell's demise and the subsequent treatment of his corpse and whether the arrow William II caught in the chest was an accident or murder, to Henry IV's remarkable skin condition and the red-hot poker up Edward II's rear end, Mortal Monarchs captivates, grosses-out and informs. How the monarchs of England and Scotland met their deaths has been a wonderful mixture of violence, infections, overindulgence and occasional regicide. In Mortal Monarchs, medical historian Dr Suzie Edge examines 1,000 years of royal deaths to uncover the plots, accusations, rivalries, and ever-present threat of poison that the kings and queens of old faced. Dr Suzie Edge joins Philippa to talk about how how the body reacts to the execution methods which we hear about so often in British History. It's not all pain and punishment though as I ask Suzie about the so-called, treatments like bloodletting and shaving the head, why these were thought to help, and the actual effect they had. #history #medical #britishhistory .I should probably give a word of warning - if you have a weak stomach or are particularly sensitive to your mortality, this probably isn't the book for you. It does, however, provide a fascinating insight into death mechanisms through the centuries. Published mere days before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the book is, of course, already requiring an update, but c'est la vie. Or c'est la mort, as the case may be.