Great Dynasties (English and Italian Edition)

The sixteen royal dynasties outlined in this nicely illustrated translation of _Grandi Dinastie_ cover a thousand years of European history, from the Capets and the Plantagenets to the Bonapartes and the Windsors. Each chapter is written by a recognized specialist, which greatly improves the quality of insight. The principal theme, though, is that all of these extended families are of mixed blood, politically unified by matrimonial alliances stretching from Norway to Yugoslavia -- but that such ties did not prevent continuing national feuds. World War I, at the top levels, was a family brawl. Well-written and insightful; an altogether entertaining account.