Lockdown must-reads #9: Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII’s obsession by Elizabeth Norton

Posted on June 1, 2020June 1, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

Let’s be honest: lockdown sucks! But it does mean there’s more time for reading. Over the next couple of weeks, I will review 10 books which all Royal History Geeks should add to their reading list

May. The month of Anne Boleyn. Her arrest, trial and execution happened in such swift succession that it’s possible to mark them all in a single month.

To remember Anne this May, I decided to read about her. Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII’s obsession was this year’s choice.

The book is the first of four biographies covering wives of Henry VIII. The author has stated that each was designed to be short. They provide an overview of their respective subject’s life. True to its word, the biography is easy to read and presents a clear picture of the extraordinary life of the second Henrican Queen.

Anne’s meteoric rise, turbulent reign and dramatic downfall are well known to Tudor fans. Norton’s book sets these events in the context of Anne’s early life. By exploring her upbringing and time on the continent, the reader gets a glimpse into how Anne’s early experiences shaped her character and approach. By the time she steps onto the stage of Henry’s court, she is more French than English.

Anne’s love affair with Henry has gone down in history. But it was not the only controversial match she embroiled herself in. Her attempt to wed Percy and potential love affair with Wyatt are given the attention they deserve.

The ‘King’s Great Matter’ – his attempt to divorce his first wife and be wed to Anne – is worthy of a book of its own. However, Norton successfully summarises the key events. She grants us an insight into the motivations of the central players.

Anne’s ultimately triumphs as Queen of England but her success is short-lived. Henry’s resumption of his mistresses and her failure to make the transition from mistress to submissive wife cause cracks to appear. Against this backdrop, her early failure to produce a male heir makes her vulnerable. Within three years of her marriage, Anne becomes ‘the lady in the tower.’

Historians from previous generations have treated Anne with disdain. Perhaps in reaction, the Boleyn Queen today enjoys a cult following on social media. But Norton’s book will not satisfy those with a partisan interest. She refused to paint Anne as either tragic romantic heroine or unreconstructed villain. The author is honest about Anne’s shortcomings. But she also helps us to understand where her viciousness came from.

Those new to Tudor history will find this biography an indispensable way to familiarise themselves with Anne’s story. Old-timers like me will value it as a useful refresher. It is thoroughly researched and easy to read.

Anne Boleyn was one of the most extraordinary women to walk the green and pleasant lands of England. Perhaps no write-up can truly do her justice. But in her honest, thorough and accessible work, the author has surely been faithful to Anne’s final request. Norton has meddled with Anne’s cause and she has judged the best.

Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII’s obsession by Elizabeth Norton is available from Amazon.

However, please consider supporting your local book seller. If you are based in the UK, search for your local book seller at the Book Seller Associations website.

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Lockdown must-reads #8: Henry IV, Chris Given-Wilson

Posted on May 15, 2020May 15, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

Like most Royal History Geeks I’m in love with popular history. When surveying the past is just a hobby, time is limited. The compelling narrative of a popular publication stimulates the mind and soothes the soul.

But as time goes by, those of us drawn further and further into the web of history sometimes need a little bit more. Our thirst for knowledge yearns for greater depth. We will always love every new 300-page paperback about our favourite medieval or Tudor ruler. Yet, it gets harder to spot a fact or analysis that we hadn’t stumbled across before.

It’s time for us to join the debates that have consumed historians since the events first happened. We want to learn more about the local studies and textual analyses that theories are built on. We don’t want to just be told that Professor Historylove had conducted a revolutionary study on the Calendar of Patent Rolls. We want to see if for ourselves.

Henry IV, by the great medievalist Chris Given-Wilson, is the perfect transition for anyone wanting to make the leap from popular history to the academic arena. Given its biography format, its structure is one that we are broadly familiar with. It retells accounts of myths and legends. But it sets the record straight on what is most likely to have happened.

The first Lancastrian King is often overshadowed by the glory of his son’s campaigns and the disaster of his grandson’s reign. But he is an intriguing figure in and of his own right. As the author says, while Henry is not remembered as great King, it is not impossible to imagine that in different circumstances, he could have been. And even before he became king, his life was more than worth reading about.

The book kicks off with a detailed examination of Henry’s Lancastrian inheritance. Many books talk about the vast wealth of the Dukes of Lancaster. This one gives detail. It proceeds to explore what is known of his early life. It analyses the factors that caused him to rebel against his cousin Richard II.

Eventually the book explores events that Royal History Geeks may be more familiar with. Richard II’s decline into tyranny and Henry’s ultimate usurpation of the crown. The house of Lancaster has finally claimed the throne of England. But for Henry at least, it will never be a throne he sits on comfortably. Rebellions, fiscal concerns and family division cause most of the King’s reign to be a stressful one. Ill health and injury blight his final years.

Unlike popular historians, academics give little space for speculation over things we can only guess at. So you’re going to be disappointed if you’re expecting much insight into how Henry felt at the early death of his wife, Mary de Bohun. If you’re after an analysis of any pangs of guilt associated with overthrowing his cousin, look elsewhere. If you’re desperate to empathise with him about what it feels like to be betrayed by your son, this isn’t the book for you.

But none of that means that Henry doesn’t come across as a real human being. He is presented as a pious man interested in theology. John Beaufort, Thomas Swynford and Archbishop Arundel all emerge as life-long friends and companions.

The book is not an easy read. The author would probably be insulted if it were. I openly confess to reading a chapter and then feeling I had to read it again to fully digest. It must be studied rather than just read. But if you can give the book the time and mental energy it deserves, you will be richly rewarded with a deepening of knowledge and a broadening of the mind.

Henry IV by Chris Given-Wilson is available from Amazon.

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Lockdown must-reads #7: Katherine Swynford by Alison Weir

Posted on May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

Getting into the head of today’s public figures is tough enough. You might well have a strong opinion about the Duchess of Cornwall or Cherie Blair only to meet them and be utterly surprised.

So attempting to reconstruct the life of an obscure 14^th century woman is an ambitious challenge. Especially when source material is scant and what we do have is highly biased.

Thankfully, it’s a challenge that Alison Weir rises to with robust research and inspired imagination.

‘Katherine Swynford: the story of John of Gaunt and his scandalous duchess’ is the kind of masterpiece that demonstrates exactly why Weir is one of the world’s best-selling historians. The author pieces together fragments of source material and weaves them into the tapestry of history. With Weir’s gift of empathy, the reader is left with little doubt as to why Katherine was a woman who captured the heart of a prince and aroused the suspicions of a nation.

The book begins with Sywnford’s arrival in England at around the age of two. It follows her early life and first marriage. It shows how the life of Katherine and her husband Hugh became entangled with the Lancastrian court.

As the book’s sub-heading suggests, the narrative also explores the story of John of Gaunt. By using sources such as Chaucer’s poetry, Weir paints a picture of Gaunt’s first marriage to Blanche of Lancaster. She brings to life the grief he almost certainly felt at her untimely death.

Gaunt and Swynford’s relationship almost certainly begins after the couple are respectively widowed. Gaunt, however, had embarked on a second marriage. The author uses compelling evidence to disprove later claims that their children were conceived in ‘double adultery.’ Using records of grants made to Katherine from John, the author credible speculates as to the date of birth of each of the four Beaufort children, while recognising the limitations of the exercise.

This book is not a photograph. It’s an artist’s impression. And Alison Weir is quite the painter. By detailing what we know of Kettlethorpe manor and great houses Katherine lived in we get a sense as to what daily life might have looked like. No sources mention her intellect or character. But Weir shrewdly deduces that her appointment as governess to the Lancastrian princesses suggests she was both clever and sophisticated. Above all else, the author rescues Katherine from the reputation dished upon her by monkish chroniclers.

Some commentators have been critical of this presentation of history. If the facts of what we know of someone’s life can fit on the back cover, is it appropriate to attempt a full biography? But I defy anyone to read this work and not deem it a useful exercise.

Intelligent speculation may have its limits. But with Weir’s gifts of empathy, her thorough research and knowledge of the era, one of history’s most elusive figures can finally step into the spotlight and enjoy a measure of the attention she deserves.

Katherine Swynford: The Story of John of Gaunt and His Scandalous Duchess is available from Amazon.

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Lockdown must-reads #6: The Hollow Crown by Dan Jones

Posted on May 6, 2020May 6, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

For many years ‘The Wars of the Roses’ were confined to a paragraph or two in the introduction to Tudor history books. We, the readers, had to endure just a few lines about random battles, murderous uncles and cooky Plantagenet cousins. If we did, we knew we’d be treated to tales of religious reform, six wives and female succession.

But we didn’t know what we were missing. Under the skilful craftmanship of Dan Jones, this series of bloody conflicts finally take their place in the spotlight.

The 370-page publication spans a 45-year time period and touches on the reigns on five kings. But despite the breadth of the topic, Jones paints a vivid and detailed picture of the breakdown of England’s political system and the lust for power that followed it.

The book begins with the marriage of Henry VI’s parents. By beginning the narrative here rather than an earlier point in history, Jones is implicitly nailing his colours to the mast. Committed to the Tudor perspective that the conflicts have their origins in the downfall of Richard II? You’re going to disappointed. Sympathetic to the Whig notion that Edward III doomed his descendants to disaster? Look away now. Like recent scholarship, Jones roots the cause of conflict squarely in the ineffectual kingship of the last Lancastrian ruler.

As Henry grows, his inability to perform even the most basic facet of Kingship becomes increasingly obvious. For the best part of two decades the political establishments attempts to create a mechanism for governing England without a functioning monarch. But in the run up to 1450 it all came crumbling down

The 1450s is a decade of battles, high politics and low humanity. With vivid storytelling the author brings them to life. Characters like Margaret of Anjou, Richard of York and a succession of Somerset Dukes become real to us. Jones correctly notes that it is not until York puts his hand on the throne and claims the crown in 1460, that the Wars of the Roses can truly be called a dynastic conflict.

The book bounces through the early years of Yorkist rule under Edward IV. Like most accounts of the era, it focuses on his unpopular marriage to Elizabeth Wydeville, which in turn leads to a rebellion by Warwick and the second phases of the wars. The rest of Edward’s reign is centred on the fallout with his brother, Clarence. Eventually we follow the dramatic events of Edwards’s death, the brief succession of his son and Gloucester’s usurpation of the throne as Richard III. The author does well not to dwell on the fate of the princes in the tower. As Alison Weir has demonstrated, that topic requires a book of its own. (But let’s be honest, we all now Richard did it.)

In events familiar to Royal History Geeks, Henry VII ultimately wins the crown at Bosworth field. He holds the throne for almost 25 years and is succeeded by his son. But it is years before he is free from the threats of pretenders.

Like its predecessor, ‘The Plantagenets’, the book is ambitious in its scale. As a result, it cannot focus on any of either Edward IV or Henry VII’s reign in detail. But it does provide a cohesive overview that is essential for anyone looking to study either king in greater depth.

The book is lively and well crafted. Some of the sentences are almost poetic. It’s clear from the first few pages that Jones has grown as a writer since 2012’s ‘The Plantagenets’. (This may sound a little patronising. Let me be clear: I would give my right arm to be able to write a book as good as the Plantagenets.)

But perhaps the greatest achievement of this book is the way it makes ‘recent’ and innovative scholarship accessible. In the last three decades, historians such as John Watts and Christine Carpenter have boldly attempted to reconstruct the Kingship of Henry VI. They drive home its fundamental inadequacy from its inception. Jones’s work is the first attempt I have come across to draw on this scholarship and present it in the popular genre.

Since the discovery of Richard III’s remains, interest in the Wars of the Roses has reached fever pitch. Source material is scant and scholarship is complicated. But through well-written and beautifully crafted accounts like this, the public can access the latest thinking, correct misconceptions that arise from fiction and get a grip on one of England’s most intriguing sagas. Dan Jones sets the standard. If only more would rise to it.

The Hollow Crown – The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors, is available from Amazon.

However, please consider supporting your local book seller. If you are based in the UK, search for your local book seller at the Book Seller Associations website.

Lockdown must-reads #5: Six Wives, by David Starkey

Posted on May 4, 2020May 4, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

“Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived.”

That’s about the sum of Tudor history I picked up at school. Against the backdrop of a blackboard, a cold classroom and an uninspired teacher, the history of England seemed about as exciting as a wet weekend in Brighton.

But years later I would learn the truth. That I was lucky enough to inhabit an island brimming with a history of drama that even fiction writers would be unable to fabricate. A big part of that realisation begun when, before a long train journey, I purchased a copy of the intrepid ‘Six Wives’ by David Starkey.

Starkey – as many will know – has an academic background. The book is dense with research. But there is not a dry paragraph in this 795-page epic. I have read three collective biographies of the six Tudor Queens. Starkey’s is the most readable. Combining wit and a touch of sass with well-formed sentences and colourful language, the book is as gripping as a thriller.

The early pages follow Katherine of Aragon as she sets sail for a new life in England and marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales. It takes us through her destitute widowhood and her ultimate triumph upon marriage to the 18-year-old Henry VIII. We explores her active role in government and regency of England before her marriage is doomed by a failure to produce a son, a prickling of the King’s conscience and the rise of Anne Boleyn.

The King’s ‘great matter’ (the divorce of Katherine and marriage to Anne) dominates the next section of the book. Henry’s second Queen emerges as a wily and aggressive manipulator. But Starkey is not without sympathy. He is clear that she is not guilty of the crimes she loses her head for. And, unlike some historians, he is not prepared to let Henry off the hook.

Jane Seymour emerges. Jane Seymour gives birth. Jane Seymour dies. Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard both give the reader an interesting interlude. The book concludes with Katherine Parr, the canny reformer who published books, kept her head and briefly ruled England.

Starkey has shown great wisdom in the tome’s structure. Implicitly he accepts that each Queen is not equal in significance. Jane Seymour’s legacy is essentially confined to one act of childbirth. Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard are marginal in their impact. The intellectual Starkey holds a torch for blue stocking Katherine Parr. But it is Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn who shaped the character of Henry, his actions as king and the fate of the nation. Together they claim 73% of the book’s content.

Starkey is surely right to devote the bulk of the book to the first two Queen’s. But as a result, the rest of the reigns feel a little like a flash in the pan. But then, this is probably how they felt to contemporaries.

Because of the strong narrative, colourful language and modern colloquialisms, Starkey’s work has attracted criticism from other academics. No doubt some of it is valid – though we must be mindful of the presence of the green-eyed monster. But it is through writing in this accessible and compelling manner that Starkey and others have rescued the stories of Henry’s wives from the doldrums of the classroom. They have inspired documentaries, historical fiction and other popular biographies.

These women played their part in shaping our history. Thanks to books like ‘Six Wives’, a popular appreciation of their significance continues to grow.

Six Wives, the Queens of Henry VIII, is available from Amazon.

However, please consider supporting your local book seller. If you are based in the UK, search for your local book seller at the Book Seller Associations website.

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Lockdown must-reads #3: Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen, by Alison Weir

Posted on April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

The heart of Katherine of Aragon emanates from her surviving letters. Everybody has an opinion about Anne Boleyn. But Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, is a more elusive figure.

One of her brothers would become a major political player. Another would gain a reputation as a scoundrel. Her son would oversee sweeping religious reforms. But what do we truly know of the woman herself?

Combining her gifts of imagination and empathy with innovative new research, Alison Weir gives us a glimpse of the answer. In the third of Weir’s historical novels on the wives of Henry VIII, Jane steps forward as a kind, nurturing woman who was not afraid to go for what she wanted when she believed it was right.

As the book begins, we meet a young Jane growing up at Wolf Hall. As a girl, she ponders a career as a nun. But then her tranquil life is disrupted by the revelation of a scandal.

Jane ultimately decides to pursue the path of court service and the hope of an honourable marriage. During her time in the Queen’s household, Jane grows in devotion to Katherine of Aragon. She forms a loyalty to her and her daughter Mary that will last a lifetime.

This loyalty to Katherine is intuitively used to explain Jane’s motivation as the book progresses. It makes it credible that the usually demure and chaste Jane eventually seizes her opportunity with the King. It makes it believable that such a kind-hearted woman could act as an accomplice to the downfall of Anne Boleyn. It also helps explain her determination to see the Lady Mary restored to favour.

But Weir’s Jane is not a two-dimensional character. She feels guilt around her role in Anne’s demise. The late Queen may have departed the mortal coil, but as the book’s title suggests, she never quite leaves Jane’s thoughts.

As the book ends, Weir experiments with some new theories on the nature of the illness that caused Jane’s tragic and premature death. While I can’t relate to this personally, it’s clear from the reaction to the book that this has deeply touched a number of women who have themselves been through a difficult childbirth. The book may be based on characters who lived 500 years ago. But it touches the hearts of people today.

The book is written in a flowing, legato style. Happily, it is heavy on dialogue. As with all Alison Weir fiction books, it features an author’s note that sets out what is historical fact, what is imagined and what is invented. As a true Royal History Geek, my only complaint is that I wish the note were 10 times longer. But fear note fanatics: the author has teased that an updated version of her 1991 ‘Six Wives’ factual epic may hit shelves in the future.

Historical fiction will always divide opinion. When an author pens a fictional account, it is free from footnotes, source criticism and histography. They must choose a path to the exclusion of all others. Not everyone will agree with Weir’s interpretation.

But even those that don’t are likely to recognise ‘The Haunted Queen’ as an example of historical fiction at its best. It opens a door to the past and offers us a moment of escape. But it also helps us to realise that while the setting, culture and expectations are different, the trials of humanity are common to all of us. Factual history helps us to understand our forebears. Historical fiction gives us a chance to share their humanity.

Six Tudor Queens: Jane Seymour – The Haunted Queen is available from Amazon.

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Lockdown must-reads #1: The House of Beaufort by Nathen Amin

Posted on April 28, 2020April 28, 2020 By Gareth - Editor

It’s the book I’d always wanted to write. But I’m glad I didn’t. Charting the choppy course of the Beaufort dynasty over three generations is an ambitious undertaking.

In 1370 they didn’t exist. By the 1400s they were dominant political players. In 1471, they were eliminated. I could never have done their unparalleled story justice. Thankfully, Nathen Amin does.

The book begins by exploring the Beaufort’s shaky origins as the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III, and his scandalous mistress, Katherine Swynford. It examines their rise to prominence under Richard II following their parents’ marriage and their own legitimisation.

We then travel through the 1400s. We see how they helped establish and protect the reign of their half-brother Henry IV and the Lancastrian dynasty. We learn about their role at the heart of Henry V’s government.

As the book draws to a close, we see how the family dominated the conflict we now call the ‘Wars of the Roses’. Their devotion to the house of Lancaster never falters – a devotion they pay for with their total elimination of their house in the male line.

The accessible and fluid writing style makes it easy to bounce through the 285-page epic. As we do, we’re again struck by how closely the history of the Beauforts mirrors the history of 15^th century England. At least one of them was at the centre of every major event. They were the authors of victories. They were culpable for failures.

But this book is more than just a run-through of familiar events. Through focused research, intelligent guesswork and a hint of empathy the author explore the human dynamics and dilemmas that our subjects were doubtlessly faced with. John Beaufort’s conflict between his loyalty to Richard II and his devotion to his half-brother Henry IV, is an early example.

The author is bold in his attempt to rescue some of the Beauforts from a distorted reputation. He successfully sets Cardinal Beaufort’s decision to put Joan of Arc to death in its proper political context. He questions the oft-quoted notion that the younger John Beaufort died at his own hand.

Some of the Beauforts are well known to history. You simply can’t discuss Lancastrian kingship without discussing the Cardinal. Both Johns are remembered as the immediate ancestors of the Tudors. But this book sheds new light on the other two children to spring from Gaunt and Swynford’s union. Thomas is established as a war hero who became perfectly apt at playing the political game. Joan takes her place as a matriarch of the north.

There’s only one thing I would change about this book. It should be a trilogy. Each generation of the Beauforts deserve a book of their own. But I’m a fanatic. Publishers ultimately make the decision about what will sell. There probably isn’t a market for three books on the dynasty.

The hard-back edition comes with a clean and striking cover. Bearing the Beaufort arms, it looks grand on the bookshelf. There’s also some lovely photography at the book’s centre. The quality of the paper is a little on the low side. But the reader will be instantly absorbed by the page’s content. They’re unlikely to care what it’s printed on.

For too long the Beauforts have been reduced to a footnote in the Tudor’s origin story. In truth, they were the power breakers of Lancastrian kingship and the shapers of a century. It’s time they stepped forward and took their rightful place in the annuls of history. ‘The House of Beaufort’ plays a ground-breaking role in ensuring that they do.

The, House of Beaufort: The Bastard Line that Captured the Crown, is available from Amazon.

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5 books on my New Year reading list

Posted on January 4, 2017January 4, 2017 By Gareth - Editor

I begin 2017 with a confession – I’m well behind on my reading. Strikingly, shockingly and chronically behind. For anyone this is bad. For someone who has made it his business to keep on top of the latest offerings from popular historians, it’s an absolute disaster.

I’ve got some catching up to do. So for the first part of 2017, whenever I’m not working, writing or trying to lose a little of the Christmas weight, you’ll find me with my nose in a book (or at least my kindle). Part of the fun is that I don’t know yet exactly what my reading list will look like. There are however 5 books – not necessarily new – that I simply must read sooner rather than later. I thought I’d share those with you.

Image result for Game of Thrones by Sarah Gristwood

Game of Queens by Sarah Gristwood – This ambitious books claims to capture the lives of the powerful women of the 16^th century. There’s been much debate in recent years as to whether modern, feminist writers are giving too much attention to women from this period, but I for one am enjoying seeing this long-term inbalance corrected. Gristwood’s ‘Blood Sisters’ which charted the collective lives of the women at the heart of the Wars of the Roses was one of the most readable history books I have ever thumbed my way through so I have high hopes for her new offering.

Image result for The Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton

The Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton– I was first introduced to Norton’s stimulating style through her biography of Margaret Beaufort and I’m intrigued as to how she has tackled the task of exploring ‘the seven ages of the Tudor woman, from childhood to old age.’ As I said above, the lives of powerful 16^th century woman have finally started to capture the public’s imagination. This book, as I understand it, will explore the stories of some lesser known characters and provide a rich tapestry of cultural context. If so, then it’s a book I will enjoy.

Image result for Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years by John Guy

Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years by John Guy – Strangely, my knowledge of Elizabeth I is shockingly limited and what I do know tends to centre around a few dramatic episodes – upbringing, love life and her dealings with that pesky Queen of Scots. I’ve been keen for a while to get under the skin of the politics of her reign, particularly the latter half and when I saw a review of this book on the Guardian website I knew it would be added to the reading list. I know little of the writer so it’s something of a shot in the dark – but come on, geeks; experimenting is all part of the fun.

Image result for Magna Carta by Dan Jones

Magna Carta by Dan Jones – Okay, okay I know this book is nowhere near ‘new’ – but I never said that only newish books had a place on this list. Dan Jones’s offering was originally published in 2014 and despite the ‘Magna Carter’ fever that dominated 2015, I just didn’t have time to read it. However, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘the Hollow Crown’ (and found ‘the Plantagenets useful) so it was always inevitable that I would one day dust off the cover of the book in question and give it the once over. 2017 will be its lucky year.

Image result for Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir

Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir – Hot on the heels of the first book in her ‘Six Wives’ novel series last year, the Queen of history, Alison Weir has been teasing her facebook friends with the twists and turns that she took when writing her fictional account of Anne Boleyn’s life. Given Weir’s experience and expertise there is no real doubt as to the quality and historical reliability of this eagerly-awaited book, expected to hit shelves in May. But there is much anticipation as to what we might learn. The author herself has admitted that writing fiction gives her greater freedom to explore theories and suggestions that have no place in a history book but are nonetheless a valid contribution to the debate. With most of Anne’s letters lost to us, her inner thoughts can only largely be guessed at. Weir’s informed portrayal of who Anne truly was as a person will be one that many are waiting for.

Anyway, all five books shall be duly reviewed on this site. But until then…let me know what is on YOUR reading lists for 2017 geeks!

Book review: The Tudor Brandons by Sarah-Beth Watkins

Posted on November 22, 2016November 22, 2016 By Gareth - Editor

The Tudor Brandons: Mary and Charles - Henry VIII's Nearest & Dearest by [Watkins, Sarah-Beth]

Ever since becoming a super-cool Tudor fan (which as you can imagine was some time ago) I’ve had quite a few questions about the King’s friend Charles Brandon and his royal bride Mary Tudor. Where does Charles suddenly spring from? What was Mary’s early life like? How well did they know each other before their elicit marriage? Why on earth was Mary called ‘Margaret’ in the TV series, ‘The Tudors’?

‘The Tudor Brandons’ by Sarah-Beth Watkins answers many of the above. A light and readable publication, this new book charts the recent history of the Brandons and details Mary’s upbringing and time in France before allowing the reader to share in their intertwined story as the ‘nearest and dearest’ of Henry VIII.

Sticking faithfully to the extensive source material available, the author creates an opportunity to explore the character of Henry VIII’s favourite sister, with the mutual affection between the royal siblings being both evident and charming. The contrast between her search for happiness and her husband’s quest for wealth and power – typical of a late-medieval ‘man on the make’ – sheds insight into their relationship.

And of course, the story of Mary and Charles is one that cannot end with them; this book also recounts how their descendants were to have a significant impact on the politics of the future.

Stylistically, this book is likely to divide opinion. Purists will love that the sources are laid bare without much interference from the author’s interpretation; romantics will miss the lack of speculation around thoughts and inner feelings that are ultimately forever lost to us.

While pleasing to a true geek like me, the frequency with which the primary sources are extensively quoted significantly slows down the pace of the story telling (perhaps an appendix featuring all of Mary’s letters might have been better). But this is a minor criticism compared to the overall readability and accessibility of the book.

‘The Tudor Brandons’ is the first book by Sarah-Beth Watkins that I have ever read; I very much doubt it will be the last. For any Tudor fan fascinated by these two characters, who for too long have been footnotes in the stories of others, this book is an essential read.

The Tudor Brandons, by Sarah Beth Watkins is published by Chronos Books and is available on Amazon from £9.98

Book Review: Mary Boleyn by Alison Weir

Posted on September 23, 2016 By Gareth - Editor

When I first turned the opening pages of Alison Weir’s 2009 biography of Mary Boleyn I have to confess to feeling a little nervous. Mary, whatever her virtues, is essentially a footnote in history. Promoting a footnote to a main character can be troublesome.

Like most Tudor fans, I’d been more than a little appalled by ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ (only seen the film, sure the book is much better) and incredulous as to how it had warped many of my friend’s understanding of the era. Would this biography risk doing the same?

But of course, with Alison Weir at the helm, it was a question I never should have asked.

From her early years in England to her time at the French court, Weir sheds light on the upbringing of a woman who – while perhaps never a major player – was witness to some of the most extraordinary events of her time. As a mistress to the Kings of both France and England, Mary’s reputation has suffered much over the centuries, but the author’s ability to set the events in context and divorce fact from rumour, gives the elder Boleyn sister something of a reprieve, at least in the eyes of a modern reader.

There is of course, much about her life that we can never know and many periods where no one saw fit to chronicle her activities. Even her date of birth remains a mystery, but with Weir’s rare ability to combine robust research with intelligent inference based on surrounding and circumstantial information, we come as close as we are ever likely to, to discovering the true character and personality of a woman condemned to history as a ‘great and infamous whore.’

While the book’s chapters are on the long side, the fascinating sense of storytelling makes it a page turner. I am slow reader but had polished it off in just a few sessions. Complete with a summary of the rise of the Boleyns and Henry VIII’s early extra-marital antics the book provides a different perspective of the 1520s and 30s which further illuminates our understanding of those who were at the heart of them.

I am a big fan of historical fiction and delight in the fact that my obscure interests occasionally become mainstream, but as far as I’m concerned, it should be made compulsory that anyone who has ever watched ‘The Other Bolyen Girl’ should quickly follow up the experience with a read of Weir’s biography. It’s just as entertaining and helps unearth, rather than distort, one of the most fascinating episodes of England’s history.

Mary Boleyn: ‘The Great and Infamous Whore’ by Alison Weir is published by Vintage and available on Amazon from £9.99