I was so excited when Suzannah Lipscomb told me that she was writing this book because I knew it would be different to all of the guide books that are out there – and it is. The word “companion” is spot on because it is a guide that will appeal to those who want to actually physically go and visit these Tudor places, and to those who want to be transported from the comfort of their armchair to Tudor England without moving a muscle!

Suzannah’s premise in choosing the places to go in the book was that there must be something left of the place that is worth seeing. She could write about Nonsuch Palace and Greenwich Palace, but there is nothing left of them for the visitor to see, so it would be a huge disappointment for people travelling to their locations. So, the focus is on places that Tudor history buffs can go, visit and enjoy.

The book is divided into geographical locations – London and Greater London, South East, South West, West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, North East/North West/Yorkshire and the Humber – and there is a useful appendix giving opening times and details of how to get to the places. Each entry gives the history of the place, how it links to the Tudors and what attractions the visitor can expect to see and enjoy there. Being both British and a Tudor history lover, I’m familiar with the majority of the Tudor attractions, but there were some that I had missed and that are now on my list of must-sees – places like Charterhouse and Lincoln’s Inn in London.

Written in Suzannah’s engaging, easy to read style, this book is perfect for Tudor history lovers whatever their knowledge. It’s not an academic history book, it’s a guide book to England’s beautiful Tudor buildings and a journey back in time, but with the stamp of Suzannah’s expertise and Tudor knowledge. A book to add to your suitcase on a trip to the UK or to simply enjoy with a glass of wine after a hard day in the 21st century.

Publisher’s Blurb

Meet the Tudors in this fascinating book about the places where they lived, played and worshipped.

For the armchair traveller or those looking for inspiration for a day out, The Visitor’s Companion to Tudor England takes you to palaces, castles, theatres and abbeys to uncover the stories behind Tudor England. Susannah Lipscomb visits over fifty Tudor places, from the famous palace at Hampton Court where dangerous court intrigue was rife, to less well-known houses, such as Anne Boleyn’s childhood home at Hever Castle or Tutbury Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned.

In the corridors of power and the courtyards of country houses we meet the passionate but tragic Kateryn Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife, Lady Jane Grey the nine-day queen, and hear how Sir Walter Raleigh planned his trip to the New World. Through the places that defined them, this lively and engaging book reveals the rich history of the Tudors and paints a vivid and captivating picture of what it would have been like to live in Tudor England.

Details

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Ebury Press (UK 15 Mar 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0091944848
ISBN-13: 978-0091944841
It is available to buy as a hardback and Kindle from Amazon UK – click here – and from Amazon.com as a Kindle version – click here. It is due out as a hardback in the US on the 24th April 2012.

I was eager to read this biography of Bessie Blount, Henry VIII’s mistress, after the controversy caused by The Daily Mail’s article “Henry VIII had a secret daughter who should have taken the throne before Elizabeth I, historian claims”. That intrigued me as although I had heard of Bessie’s daughter, Elizabeth Tailboys, I had never linked her to Henry VIII.

Elizabeth Norton, author and historian, has kindly written a guest article on this claim for The Anne Boleyn Files – see Was Elizabeth Tailboys the Daughter of Henry VIII? - but this is obviously only a small part of her book and the book is a biography of Bessie’s life, not simply an exploration of the claim regarding Elizabeth Tailboys.

The main part of the book is 288 pages and so is a full, detailed biography, and when the Notes and Bibliography run from page 289 to 344 it is clear that Norton has meticulously researched her subject. The book is divided into four parts – Bessie Blount of Kinlet c. 1498-1512; Bessie Blount, the King’s Mistress, 1512-1522; Lady Tailboys of South Kyme, 1522-1530; and Bessie the Widow and Bessie the Wife, 1530-c.1539 – and each part has a number of chapters in it, twenty chapters in all. There is also a section of genealogical tables so the reader can see how everyone links together.

I must admit to finding Chapter 3: Bessie Blount of Kinlet hard going but this was simply because of the genealogy, all of the names. It wasn’t the style of writing that made it tough, it was simply the detail and the amount of names. I really wanted to understand the family so I kept re-reading it. As soon as that background information was out of the way, the book really took off and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Bessie and her story. Bessie is usually such a shadowy figure, the beautiful mistress who gave Henry VIII a son and then was married off to a nobleman and forgotten, but this book brings her to life and follows her right through to her death. It is a fascinating read for any Tudor history buff.

As for the claim made in The Daily Mail, well, Elizabeth Norton makes a convincing argument for Elizabeth Tailboys’ paternity and backs it up with solid primary sources. It’s no empty claim and Norton has convinced me.

So, if you like a biography which is meticulously researched, fully referenced (joy!) and is also an interesting read, then I would say that this book would suit you. The excellent referencing and bibliography means that you can double check the sources and do your own digging, something that I often do. I would say that this is Elizabeth Norton’s best book to date.

Details

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Amberley Publishing (14 Nov 2011)
ISBN-10: 1848688709
ISBN-13: 978-1848688704
Available at Amazon.com – click here and Amazon.co.uk – click here. You can also order it through your usual bookseller.

A fun, rather irreverent, entertaining spoof, is how I’d describe “Six of One” by JoAnn Spears. In Spears’s story, modern day history professor, Dolly, is preparing to marry Henry, a man who has baggage – six ex wives, two daughters and a son. As a Tudor history lover, Dolly finds Henry’s story funny as it seems to mirror that of Henry VIII and even his ex wives’ names are similar to those of the great Tudor King. During her bachelorette party, the night before her wedding, Dolly chokes, lapses into unconsciousness, and then travels to another plane, à la Wizard of Oz!

Suddenly, Dolly is in a Tudor style nightgown and is meeting characters from her studies, women like Elizabeth of York, Margaret Beaufort, Kat Ashley, Elizabeth I, Mary I, Lady Jane Grey, Mary Queen of Scots, Bess of Hardwick and so on and so on. There she finds the real truth about the Princes in the Tower before being granted an audience with Henry VIII’s six wives, who have been charged with talking to brides “facing a treacherous marital decision”.

The wives have already tried and failed with various celebrity brides and now Dolly is in their sights. They ask her questions and then each share one scandalous secret, a secret about them that has never been uncovered by historians, a secret that would rock the Tudor history world if it got out. This is where you need a sense of humour. You need to not mind your favourite wife being made fun of. Can they help Dolly? Will Dolly face up to her past and her true feelings? Will she become Henry’s seventh wife and which historical character does she resemble? All will be revealed in Six of One: A Tudor Riff!

This Kindle book made me laugh. I love spoofs and can handle misrepresentations of historical characters when they are presented in a way which is clearly a spoof and not to be taken seriously. Here, Spears takes the myths that surrounds these wives and takes them to the next level and has a bit of fun with their stories. It is entertaining and will definitely make you chuckle and read bits out to those around you. I do wonder if it perhaps needs a warning to make it clear that the stories about the wives have no basis as we all know what “The Other Boleyn Girl” sparked off!

A wonderful read when you need a bit of light relief.

Details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 611 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B006OPKZE6
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Available on the Kindle at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

It’s actually quite hard for me to review “Tudor Rules” by Libby Schmais because I’m just not the book’s target market. This book is written for the Young Adult market and is about a high school teen who becomes fascinated with the Tudors after reading books by Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir. Yes, I’m obsessed with history but unfortunately I no longer count as a “Young Adult”!

The main character, Amanda, is fed up of her life, particularly her love life, and so embarks on a mission to bring the Tudor rules of behaviour into play at her High School. She makes Tudor stomachers for herself and her friends and uses her new-found knowledge of Tudor costume, remedies, courtly love and traditions to make costumes for the school theatre production, to handle the challenges thrown at her, to land the man of her dreams and to heal him of possible ‘sweating sickness’. Like her heroine, Anne Boleyn, Amanda goes from being a nobody to being the most talked about girl at the court, or rather school, but fame has its cost and is Amanda willing to pay the price and has she really got the life she wanted after all?

I won’t spoil it by giving any more details of the story but I think this book would make ideal reading material for a teenage girl interested in Anne Boleyn and the Tudor period. I’m sure it will resonate with any teenager who has become obsessed with the Tudors as a result  of watching “The Tudors” or reading Philippa Gregory, and it is a light-hearted and entertaining reading. Haven’t we all wishes that we could swan around in Tudor gowns and bring back chivalric traditions?!

As an adult, being many years away from teenage angst, I could still identify with Amanda and her thoughts and feelings, so Schmais has certainly done a great job at getting inside Amanda’s head and bringing her thoughts and feelings to life. A fun read.

Author’s Blurb

“Amanda, a shy sophomore who feels like the family ugly duckling, finds inspiration and confidence from the story of Anne Boleyn and the Tudors. After discovering that the boy she thought was her boyfriend didn’t even think of her in that way, Amanda decides that things have to change. By following Tudor Rules of proper courtly conduct, she finds a new way of struggling through the Court of High School, transforming herself into an alluring Tudor maiden, and setting her sights on the King of the High School.

The book echoes much of the drama of the Tudor court, with betrayals, low-cut necklines, and even a musical theater production. With the help of her ladies in waiting, Amanda succeeds in transforming herself and attracting the King, but when it’s almost too late, learns that getting what you want is sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you.

Tudor Rules is an intriguing tale of a teen’s desire to change her circumstances and how she ends up finding herself in the process.”

Details

Format: Kindle Edition
Publisher: McPherson Press; 1 edition (February 28, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B007FEC4YE
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
It can be purchased at Amazon.com – click here and from Amazon UK – click here

When best-selling author Carol Wolper sent me an email introducing her book and describing it as “the story of Anne and Henry updated for 2012″ and saying “Not a lot has changed since the 16th century. Shorter skirts and iPhones, that’s about it”, I was intrigued and agreed to read and review it. When it arrived and I read the back cover I was even more intrigued, but also worried that I just wouldn’t be able to cope with Anne Boleyn’s story set in present day Hollywood. I’m not a lover of chick-lit or Hollywood type novels so I really had my doubts, and I have strong feelings about Anne Boleyn and how she is presented, and often misrepresented, in fiction. How would I cope with this novel?

Well, I was bemused by the first few pages and then I was hooked. I read it in two evenings, staying up rather late last night to finish it because I wanted to know what on earth Wolper was going to do with Anne, and they were two very enjoyable evenings. Wolper has cleverly brought Anne’s story to life in 21st century LA “Hollywood: the flashiest, most treacherous court of all” and it is entertaining, gripping and, at times, funny. You’ve got all of the elements of Anne’s true story – love, passion, intrigue, betrayal, infidelity, conspiracy… – but with cocktails, iPads, Hollywood parties, threesomes, viagra and pot thrown in. It works!

Let me introduce you to some of the characters:-

• Henry Tudor – Described as “A Los Angeles power player with sex appeal that matches his wealth”. The ‘King’ of Hollywood.
• Anne Boleyn – His girlfriend and not the usual woman to catch Tudor’s eye – she’s not an A list celebrity.
• George Boleyn – Anne’s brother and best friend who might just have a thing for men, rather than women – Yes, I know, this was one of two character I had trouble with, the other being his spiteful wife Lacy.
• Mary Boleyn – Anne’s sister, Henry’s ex and a pot-loving woman who just wants to be free to live her own life
• Theresa Cromwell – “A mature woman in a world that places a premium on youth. Henry’s brilliant VP is determined not to lose her perch on the pinnacle of power.”
• Catherine Aragon Tudor – Henry’s ex-wife and mother of his daughter, Maren.
• Ferdinand Aragon – Catherine’s politician father
• Carl Wolsey – “The wily funds manager”
• Jane Seymour – The blonde jewelry designer from San Francisco
• Wyatt – Parking valet and musician who writes a song for Anne
• Leo de Vince – The artist everyone wants to be painted by

Recognise anyone?!

Now, if that list makes you cringe and think “that will never work”, let me tell you that it really does. I cringed, I laughed and then I read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was entertaining and the reader really does empathise not only with Anne, but also with the other characters. You are left thinking that people just have not changed over the last 500 years!

An entertaining read to be taken with a dose of humour. Leave academia behind and enjoy the ride.

Description

Here’s the blurb from Amazon:-

“Skirts may be shorter now, and messages sent by iPhone, but passion, intrigue, and a lust for power don’t change. National bestselling author Carol Wolper spins a mesmerizing tale of a twenty-first-century Anne Boleyn.
Wily, intelligent, and seductive, with a dark beauty that stands out among the curvy California beach blondes, Anne attracts the attention of Henry Tudor, the handsome corporate mogul who reigns in Hollywood. Every starlet, socialite, and shark wants a piece of Henry, but he only wants Anne. The question is: can she keep him?

Welcome to a privileged world where hidden motives abound, everyone has something to sell, and safe havens don’t exist. With her older sister Mary, a pathetic example of a royal has-been, Anne schemes to marry her beloved Henry and even more challenging, stay married to this man who has more options than most and less guilt than is good for either of them. Success will mean contending with backstabbing “friends,” Henry’s furious ex-wife, and the machinations of her own ambitious family, and staying married to a man who has more options than most and less guilt than is good for either of them will take all her skill. Anne will do anything to hold on to the man—and the lifestyle—she adores, however, even if sticking your neck out in Hollywood means risking far worse than a broken heart. With Henry’s closest confidante scheming against her, and another beautiful contender waiting in the wings, Anne is fighting for her life. Can she muster the charm and wit to pull off her very own Hollywood ending?”

Details

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books (January 24, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1451657218
ISBN-13: 978-1451657210
Click here to order from Amazon.com or click here for Amazon UK.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Susan Higginbotham’s upcoming novel “Her Highness, the Traitor”, and I’m so glad I did. My husband will testify to my enjoyment of it because I kept reading bits out to him and telling him how refreshing it was to read a novel where John Dudley wasn’t painted as a baddie and Frances Grey (née Brandon) wasn’t an overbearing, harsh mother. I also appreciated the fact that Higginbotham had meticulously researched her novel, drawing on primary sources and the recent work of reputable historians such as Eric Ives and Leanda de Lisle.

Lady Jane Grey’s story will always be a tragic one, no matter how you look at it, but what I loved about “Her Highness, the Traitor” was that the story was told through the eyes of the two mothers involved in the events of 1553: Frances Grey, mother of Lady Jane Grey, and Jane Dudley, mother of Guildford Dudley and wife of John Dudley. Higginbotham explores the impact of the events of 1547-1554 on both the Greys and Dudleys: Edward VI’s reign, the rise and fall of Protector Somerset, the rise of John Dudley and the short reign of Lady Jane Grey. Both Frances and Jane lost children and husbands in 1554, and fought to survive and put their families back together.

Higginbotham’s Lady Jane Grey is very different to the usual tragic victim we’re used to. Jane is a highly intelligent and pious girl who can be proud, haughty and abrasive. She is close to her father, Henry Grey, but her mother struggles to understand her. Although Frances and Jane are not close, Frances is far from the strict, hunting-loving monster depicted by some authors; she loves her daughter and wants the best for her. Jane and Guildford’s relationship is certainly not a love match but Guildford is a warm, fun-loving young man who cares for his wife and her family, and who goes to his death with courage and dignity. He wants the crown as Jane’s consort, but he certainly is not power hungry. As for John Dudley, well, I must admit to falling in love with him in the book! He is a wonderfully warm character who loves his family and who wants to do his duty to his monarch. He is a man of principle and conscience. I also loved the opportunity of getting to know minor characters such as Mary Dudley and Henry Sidney.

Higginbotham’s idea of telling the story through the eyes of these women is a wonderful way of bringing these events and characters to life. You feel you’re there with them and you cannot help but be moved by the events as they unfold. We all know how it ends, but we often forget the impact and legacy of those bloody days and that’s what is explored here. Next time I visit the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, I won’t just think of the fallen queens who lie at rest there, I will also pay my respects to the fallen dukes and Guildford Dudley.

I won’t say any more about the book as I don’t want to spoil it, but I highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers who like historical accuracy. There is an “Author’s Note” at the end, in which Higginbotham explains what happened to the families after her story ended and also why she chose to portray the characters as she did. This section is followed by a “Further Reading” section which will delight those who want to find out more about the Greys and Dudleys.

Availability

“Her Highness, the Traitor” is not due to be released until 1st June 2012 but it can be pre-ordered from Amazon or your favourite bookstore. Its ISBN is 978-1402265587. Click here to pre-order from Amazon.com. By the way, the front cover features a woman with a head!

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (June 1, 2012)
Genre: Fiction
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402265581
ISBN-13: 978-1402265587

Although Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, is way out of my area of expertise (Tudor history), I jumped at the chance to read Matilda, when Jonathan Cape publishing offered me the chance, because I always find strong historical women interesting. I had also thoroughly enjoyed Borman’s book on Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s Women.

I read Matilda in just a few days because it captivated me. It was an historical biography but it wasn’t heavy, it was a thrilling story. Now, I’m certainly not an expert on the period, on William or on Matilda, so I cannot pass judgement on Borman’s level of historical accuracy, but I can say that it was a wonderful read and that I enjoyed every minute of it. By the end of it, I felt that I had really got to know this incredible woman who was more than just a consort, she ruled alongside her husband and was strong and important in her own right. I felt I knew the real Matilda and I had fallen under her spell. Borman’s writing style had really drawn me into Matilda’s story.

What is thrilling about Matilda’s story is that it actually has all the ingredients of a novel, yet it is true. We have love and passion, power, betrayal, victory and defeat, bloodshed, rivalry, strong characters, a family saga… Exciting stuff! Combine that with an author who has obvious passion for her subject, a knowledge of the period and the willingness to challenge traditional historical perceptions of Matilda and her family, and you have a top-notch book. This petite but formidable queen steps off the page and comes to life in front of you.

Matilda: Queen of the Conqueror is a must read for anyone interested in the Norman Conquest or England’s Queens, or, in fact, anyone who loves strong historical characters like Eleanor of Aquitaine, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I… You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Details

Title: Matilda: Queen of the Conqueror in the UK, Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda Wife of William I in the USA.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: Jonathan Cape (September 2011)
ISBN-10: 0224090550
ISBN-13: 978-0224090551
Order at Amazon.com – click here
Order at Amazon UK – click here

If you have read my review on Miss Dimple Disappears, you will know that I loved Mignon F. Ballard’s first book. Well, I loved this one too!

It’s so nice, at the end of a hectic, brain-stretching day, to curl up with a book that you can relax with and unwind to. I described the first Miss Dimple book as “a good old fashioned murder mystery” and this one is too. Think Agatha Christie rather than Patricia Cornwell; mysery versus thriller. That’s what this book is like.

Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause is set in 1943 in the town of Elderberry, Georgia, the backdrop we know from the first book. It features Miss Dimple and other characters we know from the first book, such as teachers Charlie and Annie, and mixes a murder mystery with the story of these characters’ personal lives as they cope with the impact of the World War Two on their day-to-day lives. While on a school outing, Annie and her class discover a skeleton and a whole chain of events begins. Buddy Oglesby disappears, there is a shooting in the town, money disappears and Phoebe Chadwick is acting strangely… What is going on? Can Miss Dimple get to the bottom of it and bring normality back to Elderberry?

Well, I can’t tell you, that would spoil it, but Ballard draws all the different threads together brilliantly and it is a wonderful who-dunnit. Perfect for murder-mystery fans but also those interested in wartime small town America.

Details

Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause by Mignon F. Ballard
Format : Hardcover
Pages: 272
Publisher: Minotaur Books (November 2011)
ISBN-10: 0312614756
ISBN-13: 978-0312614751
Availability: Click here to order from Amazon.com or click here to order from Amazon UK.

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I was very very excited about reading this Anne Boleyn novel because I have come to know Anne Clinard Barnhill through both The Anne Boleyn Files and Anne Boleyn Fellowship site. I knew, first-hand, just how much research had gone into the writing of this novel so was dying to read Anne’s take on Anne Boleyn’s story.

Anne Clinard Barnhill is descended from the Shelton family – Sir John Shelton, his wife Anne Boleyn (sister of Thomas Boleyn and aunt of Queen Anne Boleyn) and their daughter Margaret, or Madge Shelton – and it was her research into her roots which inspired this novel. At the Mercy of the Queen is the story of Anne Boleyn’s rise and fall told through the eyes of her cousin, Madge Shelton, who is chosen to serve the new Queen as a lady-in-waiting. The stories of the two women run in parallel as Madge tries to help Anne Boleyn keep the love of Henry VIII while also trying to keep her love for Arthur Brandon, the illegitimate son of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, a secret and the lecherous Sir Henry Norris at arm’s length.

Country girl Madge has to keep her wits about her at the dangerous Tudor court and depend on the advice of her friend, poet Thomas Wyatt. Madge becomes a trusted confidant of Anne Boleyn and is eventually forced to make the ultimate sacrifice for her Queen and cousin by agreeing to become mistress to the King in an attempt to keep the Queen in favour. Will Arthur’s love for her be strong enough to cope with her betrayal and how will she avoid marriage to Norris, a rich gentleman and courtier? When Anne Boleyn falls from power in May 1536, Madge sacrifices herself again by choosing to stay at her mistress’s side and go into the Tower with Anne, not knowing whether she’ll ever see Arthur again or whether she’ll survive the bloody events. She puts her queen first and is faithful to the bitter end. Will Madge get a happy ending?

I don’t want to say too much about the storyline as I don’t want to spoil it for you. We all know how Anne’s story ends but this novel gives Madge’s story and also Madge’s insight into Anne, her story and her feelings. You know a novelist is doing a good job when you feel empathy with the characters and your emotions are roused by the events and their feelings. Anne Clinard Barnhill does an amazing job at bringing Madge to life and you end up willing her and Arthur to have a happy ending. I felt sick for her when Anne Boleyn asked her to sleep with the King but also empathised with the desperate Queen clutching at straws to keep her King. The novel has all the right ingredients – intrigue, love, passion, hatred, jealousy, death, suspense… – and is a thrilling read. The reader is taken down a rollercoaster of emotions and I was sad when the journey came to an end and I finished the book, I do hope Anne will write more!

The novel is historical fiction and mixes history with fiction. Many of the events took place and many of the characters are real historical characters, but some are not and I didn’t mind it at all. Anne Clinard Barnhill used artistic licence, but with care and respect and so I didn’t mind. It was obvious that she felt strongly about her characters and was committed to telling their story, and a thrilling story it was. If you have enjoyed the novels of Jean Plaidy then you are sure to enjoy this one and I would highly recommend it.

My copy was an advance reading copy so was missing the reading group discussion, questions, a conversation with the author and recommended reading, but those will obviously add to the reading experience.

Details

At the Mercy of the Queen is released today, the 3rd January 2012, and here are the details:-
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (January 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312662130
ISBN-13: 978-0312662134
Available at Amazon.com – click here to order and read a sample – or from Amazon UK – click here, or from your favourite book seller.

US version

Thank you so much to Niki Incorvia M.A. for taking the time to review Chris Skidmore’s book on Edward VI for us…

This book immediately struck my interest. As someone who wishes to specialize in rebellions during the Sixteenth Century, I left a huge void in my research by not studying Henry VIII’s youngest son Edward VI’s short reign on the throne. Apparently, I am not the only one who thought Edward needed some credit where credit was due. British historian and author Chris Skidmore does an excellent job of uncovering the falsities, betrayals, and the ultimate struggle for power amongst the men leading the country [England] while Edward was still a minor. Unfortunately, Edward never made it to his majority, but during his years as England’s boy-king he showed the world his capabilities and shrewd intellect that would perhaps one day rule one of the greatest kingdoms in early modern Europe.

As many Tudor fans know there is little written about Edward’s short stint on the English throne. Most historians seem to jump from Henry VIII’s death to the tumultuous and mostly misunderstood reign of Mary I and then to the second most infamous Tudor, Elizabeth I. Skidmore (2011) writes enthusiastically, “Edward’s was a reign of supreme importance, not only for understanding the progress of the English Reformation, but also the essential politics of the age” (n.p.). The author could not be more accurate in the last part of that sentence “the essential politics of the age.” To read about the downfall of two of Edward’s beloved maternal uncles, either by their own doing (Thomas) or by their enemies (Edward), was dramatic and unyielding.

When reading this book I kept thinking this must be the end for Edward Seymour; he is finally going to be brought to trial and executed at the hands of those who wish to see his demise. However, Seymour, the Duke of Somerset, always seemed to make a comeback which really gave the reader a great insight into how slippery and dangerous the world of politics was at that time.

Unlike his sisters, Edward was educated in the matters of state and politics. Skidmore (2011) goes as far to say that Edward was the most gifted out of all the Henry’s children. That could be much debated, especially due to the fact that Edward was never able to rule in his own right. He was a minor during his reign and was afforded a group of councilors who made decisions if not always with him, then for him, as he was still learning the ways of the world and educating himself in state affairs.

Another interesting fact that I was unaware before, is that according to Henry VIII’s will no changes in religion were to be made until Edward reached the age of maturity (eighteen) and could make those decisions for himself. This was clearly not upheld because vast changes to religion, in addition to radical movements in the English Reformation, took place during Edward’s short time on the throne. This issue particularly came into question when Edward’s sister, Mary was ridiculed and questioned for her continuing to hear mass and practice the “old religion” in her household. She argued that according to her father’s devise, no changes were to be made until Edward was old enough to make those decisions for himself. At the same time, Edward was devoutly reading about the new Protestant faith and viewed the Protestant faith as the future of England. Throughout his reign Edward continued his studies vigorously while being England’s cherished boy-king. He enjoyed learning and took further pleasure in receiving new literature on religion and languages. Edward shared this passion with his sister, Elizabeth, who once shared a tutor with Edward when they were younger and in the same household.

UK version

Edward’s relationship with his sisters seemed to wax and wane during the period between 1547 and 1553. In the case of Elizabeth, she was brought in for questioning for her alleged affair or dealings with Edward’s uncle, and her step-father, Thomas Seymour. It appears after the interrogation was over and Thomas was eventually executed for his own self-serving plots to seize the throne, Elizabeth and Edward’s relationship was mended and she was invited to a number of court functions and even sat with him side by side, almost as a consort rather than a sibling (Skidmore, 2011).

For Mary, there was a much more serious divide between her and her younger brother, the issue of religion. Not only were they twenty years apart in age, but Mary had been brought up in the Catholic faith and would not abandon it for anything. Edward repeatedly asked her to stop hearing mass in her household and allowing others to practice the old religion as well. Mary was quick to remind her brother of his young age and urged him to wait until he was older in order to make such important and serious decisions on the issue of religion. Naturally, Edward saw this as a challenge to his authority which he would not permit from anybody, including his eldest sister. Edward’s relationship with Mary appeared strained throughout the duration of his reign as king, although he did reach out to invite her to Christmas, she declined knowing that she would not be permitted to hear the Catholic mass as was her Christmas tradition.

While reading this book I wondered at what point the author would end Edward’s story. Would he get as far as the beginning of Mary’s reign? Or perhaps he would stop the book at the Lady Jane Grey’s execution. In fact, I was wrong about both. Skidmore eloquently ended the book with the executions of John Dudley the Duke of Northumberland, Sir John Gates, and finally Thomas Palmer for their part in placing Jane Grey on Mary’s rightful throne. Skidmore (2011) ends the book by saying they were then to be buried in the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula along with the bodies of the Duke of Somerset, Thomas Seymour, Katherine Howard, and Anne Boleyn. Naturally, Skidmore left out a few who were also buried there, such as Lady Jane Rochford and her husband, George Boleyn. At this point, Jane Grey and her husband, Guildford Dudley had not yet been executed.

Skidmore did an excellent job of giving the young king, Edward, a voice and personality which he so often lacks in the shadows of his father and two sisters. The book was well written and easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Edward VI, the English Reformation, and how dangerous court politics were in Sixteenth Century England.

Details

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: In the US St. Martin’s Griffin; First Edition edition (April 14, 2009), in the UK Phoenix (24 Jan 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312538936, UK 0753823519
ISBN-13: 978-0312538934, UK 978-0753823514
Available from Amazon.com – click here – or from Amazon UK – click here
Kindle versions: Click here for US and here for the UK.