Courting intrigue

Philippa Gregory discusses the inspiration for Dawnlands, her new novel set in the Stuart era

How did you research England and its colonies during the late 17th century? The reign of James II suffers from hindsight. Because everyone knows that he was expelled from the throne, many writings about him – including contemporary sources – paint him as a doomed king. It’s my task as a writer of fiction to take the reader to the sense of the moment, when everyone was certain that his determined faith would force the entire country to reverse the Reformation and become Roman Catholic.

One key character is James II’s fascinating second wife, Mary of Modena. There is no modern biography of this young queen, who was faced with the almost impossible task of bringing her faith to a staunchly Protestant country. The would-be usurper James, Duke of Monmouth also left very limited records. But his troops who survived the pivotal battle of Sedgemoor [on 6 July 1685] were transported to Barbados. There I studied a working sugar plantation at St Nicholas Abbey, as well as Barbados Museum and the huge Harrison’s Cave.

What sources did you use?

Mary of Modena left brief accounts of the birth of her son and her escape from London, and there is a journal of a runaway prisoner from Barbados – as well as the big histories of the period. Some of the most poignant records come from Judge Jeffreys’ “Bloody Assizes” in which hundreds of Monmouth’s followers were sentenced to death or exile.

Did you take inspiration from any real historical figures?

My fictional characters – such as Livia, a manipulative, greedy woman – find opportunity and success among named real-life courtiers who were as mendacious and venal as her. Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory

Simon & Schuster, 544 pages, £20