The Six Wives of Henry VIIIA “brilliantly written and meticulously researched” biography of royal family life during England’s second Tudor monarch (San Francisco Chronicle). Either annulled, executed, died in childbirth, or widowed, these were the well-known fates of the six queens during the tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England from 1509 to 1547. But in this “exquisite treatment, sure to become a classic” (Booklist), they take on more fully realized flesh and blood than ever before. Katherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured woman who jumped at the chance of independence; Katherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Katherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time. “Combin[ing] the accessibility of a popular history with the highest standards of a scholarly thesis”, Alison Weir draws on the entire labyrinth of Tudor history, employing every known archive—early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports—to bring vividly to life the fates of the six queens, the machinations of the monarch they married and the myriad and ceaselessly plotting courtiers in their intimate circle (The Detroit News). In this extraordinary work of sound and brilliant scholarship, “at last we have the truth about Henry VIII’s wives” (Evening Standard). |
Contents
| 13 | |
The The great matter | 143 |
Happiest of Women | 245 |
Shall I die without justice? | 303 |
Like one given by God | 339 |
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Common terms and phrases
Admiral affair ambassador Anne Boleyn Anne of Cleves Anne's annulment Archbishop asked betrothal birth Bishop bride Cardinal Castle Chapuys Charles child Chronicle Church courtiers Cranmer Cromwell daughter death declared Dereham Duchess Duchess of Suffolk Duke Duke of Cleves Earl Edward Elizabeth Emperor English father favour fear Ferdinand France French Grace Greenwich Hall Hampton Court heir Henry VIII Henry's honour household husband Isabella Jane Seymour Jane's John Katherine Howard Katherine of Aragon Katherine Parr Katherine's King and Queen King's knew Lady Mary Lady Rochford later letter London Lord Margaret Maria de Salinas Marillac marriage married Mary's matter mistress mother never Norfolk once Palace Pope portrait Prince Princess Privy Council Queen Katherine Queen of England realised Rome royal rumours saying sent servants Sir Thomas sister Spain Spanish Calendar Suffolk thought told took Tower Tudor VIII's Westminster wife William wives Wolsey woman Wriothesley wrote Wyatt young