Sophia – Mother of Kings: The Finest Queen Britain Never Had
Catherine Curzon is a royal historian who has written several books on Georgian royalty and its often-scandalous courts. Her latest foray into this era explores the life of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, in Sophia, Mother of Kings: The Finest Queen Britain Never Had.
The granddaughter of James I and mother to George I, Sophia straddled a transitory time in Britain’s history. Beginning with her childhood as one of many children of Frederick V of the Palatinate and Elizabeth Stuart, the book follows Sophia’s experiences of courtship and matchmaking amongst the eligible royal bachelors of her day. Finding her match in Ernest Augustus of Hanover, she became a duchess and electress by turns, supporting her husband’s climb to power whilst fighting off her brother-in-law’s lovelorn entreaties. Court life, children, and intrigue abound in Curzon’s narrative, much to the enjoyment of the reader.
Sophia, Mother of Kings is a delightful read with entertaining and insightful endnotes, as well as an impressive bibliography. It is the perfect introduction to a remarkable woman and the beginnings of the Georgian era.
