Keynote
The story of women without whom
the course of medieval European history
would have gone quite differently.
Betrayals, alliances and courtly intrigues –
all the best things about history books.
Selling Points
 A story about powerful and ambitious
women in the late Middle Ages.
 The birth of modern Europe from a new
perspective.
 The story of the Władysław II Jagiełło
and dawn of the Jagiellonian Dynasty –
one of the most powerful in the history of
Europe.
 A light read filled with humour and
verve, a history book to read all in one go.
 Intrigues, betrayals and alliances weave
through this book as in the best of novels.
Description
Władysław II Jagiełło was a ruler of
Poland and Lithuania who created one of
the largest dynasties in modern Europe.
His mighty kingdom, which for centuries
would be decisive in the fate of the central
and eastern parts of our continent,
would not have come to be were it not
for four incredible women, the king’s
successive wives. Contrary to popular
opinion, women of the late Middle Ages
often wielded great power. It was not
always official, and yet they made many

key decisions. The future of the dynasty
depended on them. An outstanding
historian known for his engaging style,
Janicki shows us the fifteenth century
from an entirely new angle. His book
is a tale of tempestuous, behind‑the‑scenes
politics, where gender ceased to be
important – only effectiveness counted.
And the women tied to Jagiełło were not
to be denied.
Target Market
Lovers of history books.
Readers of the biographies of great
politicians and rulers.