Tudor History Lovers discussion

I am going into my second year of A-Level History next year and I studied Elizabeth I, I love this era so any must reads?

I would recommend Alison Weir's non-fiction, especially her Children of Henry VIII, The Lady Elizabeth and The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Weir's The Life of Elizabeth I is also very good.

For historical fiction, I liked I, Elizabeth.

Ella wrote: "I am going into my second year of A-Level History next year and I studied Elizabeth I, I love this era so any must reads?"

That's why I am interested in this time frame.

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Weir's The Life of Elizabeth I is also very good.

For historical fiction, I liked I, Elizabeth."

Both look good.

Here are some good non-fiction...

by David Starkey

by Sarah Gristwood

My sister really liked...

by Stephen Budiansky

I liked Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage as well.

I have two Phillippa Gregory books, which I have not read as yet...I have always been interested in this historical period ( ENGLISH major when I was in college) and I needed to take every imaginable History course, as well; I wrote a very long research paper on Henry, the Dissolution of the monasteries and his wives. I am very curious about Anne as well as Sir Thomas Wyeth. I read and adored Philippa Carr's Daughters of England series.

I dont know if I would call this a must read as much as I would call it a fun read.The Thornleigh series by Barbara Kyle I have read two of the series out of order but I have just started reading Barbara KyleThe Queen's Lady the first book of the series and enjoying it.

i am currently reading Falcon's Rise by Natalia Richards,a novel about the early life of Anne Boleyn. it's very good, with lots of authentic period detail. i didn't know much about her early life before she came to henry's court, so it is very interesting to read about her time with Margaret of Austria etc.

Has anyone read The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. I just got it on Amazon for $1. Wondering if its any good or credible.

Maitreyee wrote: "Has anyone read The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. I just got it on Amazon for $1. Wondering if its any good or credible."

Yes, I loved it, but I'm a bid fan of Alison Weir. She draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life

Can anybody here recommend a book on The War of the Roses?I am currently reading Alison Weirs book and Im about 200 pages in..talking about Margaret of Anjou and Henry Vl at the moment.Its ok,but just curious if there's any other book.I do have Eric Ives book on The Wars of the Roses..maybe that book is better?

I enjoyed....

The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors by Dan Jones

And

Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses by Sarah Gristwood

NayNay wrote: "I enjoyed....

[book:The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudo..."

oops,Im getting my authors mixed up..I meant to say Dan Jones..not Eric Ives..lol!Eric Ives writes on Anne Boleyn,and I do have that one..but the Dan Jones book..you like it?

NayNay wrote: "I enjoyed....

[book:The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudo..."

Thank you NayNay for letting me know:)

I read it. I love the six wives of henry viii . I like that she points out Henry didn't just marry Katherine out of Obligation.

There was a novel which was nominated for this group awhile back. "My Lady of Cleves" by Margaret Campbell Barnes. I wonder if anyone in this group has read it and if they would recommend it (or another biography of Henry VIII's fourth wife). I've been looking for an interesting biography of Anne of Cleves for years but haven't ever found one to my liking. Does anyone have any suggestions, please ?

Sabrina wrote: "There was a novel which was nominated for this group awhile back. "My Lady of Cleves" by Margaret Campbell Barnes. I wonder if anyone in this group has read it and if they would recommend it (or an..."

I have My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves on my to read list so I can't tell you if it is good or not but I wanted to let you know that the book is historical fiction not a biography. I've read two of Margaret Campbell Barnes books and liked them very much.

My Lady of Cleaves by Margaret Campbell
It was a very good book
Excellent research
Easy read

Jodi wrote: "Sabrina wrote: "There was a novel which was nominated for this group awhile back. "My Lady of Cleves" by Margaret Campbell Barnes. I wonder if anyone in this group has read it and if they would rec..."

Jodi wrote: "Sabrina wrote: "There was a novel which was nominated for this group awhile back. "My Lady of Cleves" by Margaret Campbell Barnes. I wonder if anyone in this group has read it and if they would rec..."

Hi Jody, Actually that was the type of book I was looking for concerning Anne of Cleves. Drop me a line after you've finished it, OK? I'd love to know if it's worthwhile. The Anne of Cleves I read by Elizabeth Norton is well researched but extremely dry - Anne doesn't ever really seem to come to life. Thanks !

Rivkah wrote: "My Lady of Cleaves by Margaret Campbell
It was a very good book
Excellent research
Easy read"
Thanks Rivkah ! Sounds like my kind of Anne of Cleves novel !

Rivkah wrote: "My Lady of Cleaves by Margaret Campbell
It was a very good book
Excellent research
Easy read"

Wish there was more time to read all the more books I come upon in this group:)

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "I liked Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage as well."
Walsingham is a very interesting character ! I don't know if he was actually as ruthless as he was portrayed to be in the movie Elizabeth I, but he certainly did a massive amount to keep Elizabeth on the throne and ward off her enemies.

Walsingham was quite ruthless, yes.

Elizabeth seemed to be able to pick advisors that were excellent at their jobs, loyal to her and to the country. Elizabeth also trusted them, didn't undermine them and allowed them to voice their opinions. Walsingham was one of these, critical to her successful reign!

Yes, that was part of her genius !

Elizabeth's longest and closest adviser was William Cecil and also his son Robert Cecil and there was another Father and son team,wasnt there?

Do you mean Robert Dudley and his step-son Robert Devereaux? William Cecil was certainly a favorite and a loyal adviser as well as his son.

Hi!..sorry,just looked it up.It was Francis Bacon and his son.But Cecil and Walsingham together..now there was a duo:)

I am afraid I am not very familiar with Bacon and his son, what was their in role in Elizabeth's court?

They both served Elizabeth 1,in senior positions for many years,if Im not mistaken.They also were part of her advisor team.

Marian wrote: "Elizabeth's longest and closest adviser was William Cecil and also his son Robert Cecil and there was another Father and son team,wasnt there?"
Yes, and William Cecil (later Lord Burghley) had been loyal to her from the very beginning- in Mary Tudor's time. The only thing they seemed to disagree on was the "Marriage Question" he thought it of great importance that she should marry. She thought it of great importance that she should not !

Robert Cecil also disagreed with Elizabeth's need to name an heir so instead he worked behind the scenes to secure James' peaceful taking of the throne upon her death.

The Cecils, father and son, were England's chief ministers from Elizabeth's coming to power, to the son's death in 1612. Truly remarkable. Robert plotted actively to make sure it was James who inherited; he felt his job would be safe.

I agree it allowed Cecil to be well placed in the new court but I also believe Cecil felt it was best for the country. James was a man who already had an heir and he was experienced in ruling. If the Tudor line chose Henry's sister Mary's line then Katherine Grey would have been the choice for the next Queen. While Katherine had an heir he had been declared illegitimate due to Queen Elizabeth I not giving her permission for her marriage. So though she had proven her ability to provide an heir I think Cecil felt a man on the throne would be best.

Marian wrote: "Can anybody here recommend a book on The War of the Roses?I am currently reading Alison Weirs book and Im about 200 pages in..talking about Margaret of Anjou and Henry Vl at the moment.Its ok,but j..."

Try Conn Iggulden's series The Wars of the Roses, starting with StormbirdStormbird

Jonathan wrote: "Marian wrote: "Can anybody here recommend a book on The War of the Roses?I am currently reading Alison Weirs book and Im about 200 pages in..talking about Margaret of Anjou and Henry Vl at the mome..."

Thank you Jonathan for the recommendation:)

I highly recommend The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones it was excellent!

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "I liked Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage as well."

Excellent book! Elizabeth's spymasters and network aren't really discussed anywhere else, and it really rounds out our understanding her reign.

I haven't seen any recommendations of Philippa Gregory's books on the Wars of the Roses, which are excellent, and the way she handles the telling is unique. Basically, the first book starts on the White side, the next book moves to the Red side and the following book moves back to the White side, but the key players are now from the next generation. I think this gives readers a better understanding of each side and how they viewed each other. Plus, she was a history major, so they're definitely well researched.

Matt, I'd like to read this book because I think Thomas Cranmer is a pretty interesting figure. Is it historical fiction or is it rather a straight historical biography ?

Thanks very much for the details, Matt. Yes, Cranmer did see quite a lot of changes in his time. He went through some lucky escapes but didn't survive Mary I (Tudor) aka "Bloody Mary"'s purges. To escape being burnt as a heretic, he recanted and embraced Catholicism. However, this didn't save him from death by fire. His last words were "This hand is the hand of a traitor, these lips have betrayed the soul, to save the body, etc". So, he died a Protestant after all. It must be mentioned though, that since he had been at court (in Henry VIII's service) since the days of Anne Boleyn, he had had time to accumulate quite a few enemies. Perhaps the most virulent being Bishop Stephen Gardiner. A fervent Catholic and Mary Tudor's right hand man (as far as theology was concerned). Not many people knew it at the time, but Cranmer's Lutheran ideas had led him to marry (secretly) when it was still forbidden for the English clergy to do so. Not many of Henry VIII's courtiers held on so firmly to their beliefs, I think this fact makes the life of Thomas Cranmer a remarkable one and in my opinion worth knowing more about, so I'll definitely check out the book. Thanks again for the info and happy reading ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marian wrote: "Can anybody here recommend a book on The War of the Roses?I am currently reading Alison Weirs book and Im about 200 pages in..talking about Margaret of Anjou and Henry Vl at the moment.Its ok,but j..."

Alison Weir also has a biography of Elizabeth of York out, Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World, that talks more about the outcome of those wars and the conspiracies that threatened Henry VII after. Quite interesting, since there isn't much out there about what it was like for either Henry or Elizabeth having to marry into the "enemy" family.