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The Rebel Empresses

Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe

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The Rebel Empresses

By: Nancy Goldstone
Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard
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About this listen

 The thrilling chronicle of two of the most influential and glamorous women in nineteenth-century Europe.

When they married Emperors Franz Joseph and Napoleon III, respectively, Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France became two of the most famous women on the planet. Young and beautiful, both represented a new type of empress: one who rebelled against tradition and embraced modern values. Yet they also endured hardship, playing a pivotal role in ruling their realms during a tempestuous era of revolutions, assassinations and wars.

In this vivid account, Nancy Goldstone brings to life these two remarkable women, and their efforts to rule amid the scandal, intrigue, tragedy, and violence of their era.©2025 Nancy Goldstone 19th Century Europe Modern Women War Military Imperialism

Critic reviews

Personal catastrophe and imperial history are deftly interlaced in these parallel lives . . . A bold portrait of two bold women caught in the tempests of history (Catherine Ostler)
A richly detailed, entertaining dual biography . . . Both women, in Goldstone's vibrant, wryly witty portraits, emerge as glamorous, strong-willed, and independent . . . In a brisk, lively narrative, Goldstone seamlessly interweaves the women's trials, challenges, and betrayals with the world events that swirled incessantly around them
Goldstone's sprawling chronology illustrates the influence the two imperial women had on the course of history at a time when traditional royal pageantry belied a modernizing world
In this witty and astute account, historian Goldstone presents the turbulent and politically entwined lives of Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France . . . It's an illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable view of the highborn milieu at the center of a period of rapid modernization
Fascinating insight into the lives of two remarkable women . . . Goldstone's wry commentary enhances the narrative
Empress Elisabeth is already the subject of a number of television shows and novels . . . But Nancy Goldstone may have penned the definitive non-fiction account of the storied figurehead, as well as her French counterpart
Beguiling . . . Probing . . . The Rebel Empresses is a rewarding look at two women who bucked the traditional expectations of their gender and station
All stars
Most relevant
I liked very much the down-to-earth language of the writer and the clear and careful pronunciation of the reader resulting in a powerful and enjoyable narrative.

Woman's constancy.

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Excellent research! Brought both Empresses and their families vividly to life along with the times they lived in. A fascinating book and extremely well read. Would heartily recommend.

A thrilling listen

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