empresses

"Theodora's is a tale of a woman of exceptional talent who overcame immense obstacles to achieve incredible power, which she exercised without ever forgetting where she had come from. In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint, David Potter penetrates the highly biased accounts of her found in the writings of her contemporaries and takes advantage of the latest research on early Byzantium to craft a modern, well-rounded, and engaging narrative of Theodora's life. This fascinating portrait will intrigue all readers with an interest in ancient and women's history"--Jacket flap.

"Beautiful eighteen-year-old Xifeng, raised by a cruel aunt who says the stars destine her to be Empress of Feng Lu, chooses to spurn the man who loves her and exploit the dark magic that can make her dream real"--Provided by publisher.

The Emperor of China is dead. Mei, his former concubine is now a concubine of Pheasant. When Pheasant becomes the new Emperor, Mei believes she will be safe. But Lady Wang, Pheasant's chief wife is powerful and unpredictable. As she turns against Mei and takes measures to stop her rise, the power struggle that occurs will determine China's fate and that of Mei.

"A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor's attention"--Back cover.

Born Marie-Josephe-Rose de Tascher de La Pagerie on the Caribbean island of Martinique, the woman Napoleon would later call Josephine was the ultimate survivor. Her first husband was executed during the reign of terror and she was almost executed herself. This experience fueled her ambition and determination to find a man who could finance and sustain her. In 1795 she met Napoleon and together they conquered Europe. But she could not produce the heir Napoleon needed and so they parted. The rest of the story, as they say, is history.

Chronicles the life of Alexandra Romanov, the last Russian tsarina, and discusses why she is often blamed for her family's downfall.

A biography of Russian empress Catherine the Great, discussing her childhood, her rise to the throne, the values and beliefs she used to guide her rule over Russia, contacts she had over the years, and more.

A biography of Empress Dowager Cixi that describes her fight to change and modernize China.