I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for two of the lectures where Robert Bartlett presented some of the initial drafts of the work that would become Blood Royal. In particular, his discussion of the use of regnal numbering in medieval Europe, from its origins in the papacy to its later adoption by various monarchies, was one of the most interesting talks I’ve ever attended. I’d been looking forward to this book ever since it was implied at the final talk that one would be forthcoming, and while I had to wait quite a while the final product did not disappoint.
I would recommend reading Blood Royal for the bit on royal numbering alone, but I appreciate that not everyone is as interested in the subject as I am, but if you have ever wondered why the fifth English king named Edward is known as Edward the First then Blood Royal has the answer! It also offers far more of interest than just that, including an amazing section on the phenomenon of royal pretenders – that is people pretending to be deceased kings and claiming the throne from the reigning monarch.
Blood Royal is split into two sections, the first focusing on the specific lives of medieval royals, with chapters on medieval marriage, children, paternal relationships, as well as female rulers and mistresses. The second section covers dynasties rather than individuals. It is in this latter section that you’ll find discussions of names and numbers, pretenders, as well as heraldry and even the role of prophecy and astrology in medieval dynastic politics.
The scope of Blood Royal is immense. Bartlett includes early medieval dynasties like the Merovingians and Carolingians alongside later examples like the Plantagenets and the Hohenstaufen. Bartlett also incorporates an impressive range of dynasties from across medieval Europe, not limiting himself to just the French, English, and German royal families. Overall, it makes for a very impressive piece of scholarship from a senior historian, but one that is written in a very approachable and engaging fashion. The breadth of the coverage means that no matter where your interest in medieval Europe lies there’s probably something relevant to it in Blood Royal.
Blood Royal is an excellent book for anyone who has ever had a question about medieval monarchy. If you’ve ever wondered how medieval marriages worked, the politics of dynastic succession, or even something as simple as what happened when the current monarch died then Bartlett’s book probably has an answer for you. It is a fascinating and impressive work that answers so many questions all of us, historians and enthusiasts alike, have wondered about medieval monarchy. It was one of the best books I read in 2021 and I cannot recommend it enough.