Tag: Elizabeth I

Book Review: “Sisters of Treason” by Elizabeth Fremantle

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Sisters of TreasonThose born of royal blood are either blessed by being able to sit on the throne or cursed to be under intense scrutiny for fears of treason. That is the case for the Grey sisters. Jane, Katherine, and Mary were the daughters of Henry and Frances Grey and the granddaughters of Mary and Charles Brandon. Their bloodline made them cousins to Mary I and Elizabeth I, which meant they threatened the two queens, especially when Edward VI named Lady Jane Grey his heir. After Mary I executes Jane and their father Henry for treason, the remaining Grey sisters, Katherine and Mary, must survive the treacherous Tudor court or end up like their sister. Can Katherine and Mary survive in a court where their royal blood leaves a target on their backs? Elizabeth Fremantle tells the tale of the lesser-known Grey sisters in her novel, “Sisters of Treason.”

A few years ago, I read the first book in The Tudor Trilogy by Elizabeth Fremantle called, “Queen’s Gambit: A Novel of Katherine Parr,” and I adored it. I have always been fascinated with Tudor heroines that do not get enough attention. I feel like Katherine and Mary Grey fit that bill and another woman Fremantle included in this novel, Levina Teerlinc. When I read the description of this book, I knew I would enjoy it.

We begin with the tragic execution of Lady Jane Grey as her mother Frances and Levina Teerlinc, a family friend, watch in horror in the middle of the crowd. They know they cannot save her, but they can protect her sisters from the same grisly fate by keeping a close eye on them from themselves and the schemes of others. Mary Grey can keep herself from major scandals and close to her cousins because of her misshapen body. She knows that she cannot threaten the house of Tudor because she cannot have children. On the other hand, Katherine Grey only cares about love and having her own family; she does not care about the consequences that she may have to deal with if she marries without the queen’s permission.

While Mary Grey is a constant companion for Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, Katherine is on the outside looking in, wanting her own life and to marry Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford. Eventually, they marry secretly, much to the chagrin of Queen Elizabeth I. Katherine and Hertford suffer the consequences of their love match by spending time in the Tower. Mary on the other hand knows her duty to the throne and how it is important to keep her family safe from the Tudor queens’ ire, even when she falls in love with Thomas Keyes. We also have the perspective of the artist Levina Teerlinc, a family friend of the Greys and a surrogate mother to Katherine and Mary after the death of Frances. The Greys and Teerlinc must also navigate the ever-changing religious world as they are reformers when Catholicism battles it out with Protestantism.

This is yet another sublime novel by Elizabeth Fremantle. It is full of tension, intrigue, romance, and love for one’s family, whether a friend as close as a mother or the bonds of blood. Even though I knew how the stories of Katherine and Mary Grey played out, it was still a thrilling read, especially with the addition of Levina Teerlinc. I have loved every novel that I have read by Fremantle so far and I look forward to reading more. If you want an excellent novel about the Grey sisters, I highly recommend you read “Sisters of Treason” by Elizabeth Fremantle.

Book Review: “The History of England Vol. II: Tudors” by Peter Ackroyd

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

TudorsThe royal dynasties of English history are some of the most popular in European history. We have the Normans, the Angevins, the Plantagenets, who occupied the throne for 300 years, the Scottish Stuarts who saw religious change and political upheaval, the haughty Hanovers, and the current Windsor dynasty. However, one dynasty that has captured the imagination of history nerds for centuries has been the tumultuous Tudors. In book two of Peter Ackroyd’s “The History of England: Tudors,” he explores the stories that made the Tudor dynasty so infamous.

I saw this book at a used bookstore and picked it up. I just read the previous book in this series, “Foundation” and wanted to see how Ackroyd would tackle the tricky Tudors.

Ackroyd, unfortunately, does not start with the patriarch of the Tudor dynasty, Henry VII, instead, he starts with his infamous second son, Henry VIII, and his coronation. Ackroyd did include a bit of information about Henry VII’s reign in his previous volume, but I think it would have made much more sense to have included his story in this book to show the dynasty from beginning to end. When it comes to the reign of Henry VIII, his martial affairs take a backseat to the more religious and political aspects of his reign. The theme of religious changes goes throughout this book as Ackroyd explores the reigns of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, the children of Henry VIII.

While I did find some of the facts in this book informative, I did have issues with this book. When it comes to the characterization of the women in this book, especially Mary I, it felt like a repetition of some of the old tropes (like Bloody Mary). There were also stories and dialogue that Ackroyd had included that felt similar to historical fiction rather than historical facts, which was a bit distracting, especially for a chronicle.

Overall, I felt like this book was just okay, but quite a bit of the information presented in this book could be disproven with the latest research about the Tudors (of course this book is over 10 years old). I think this is a fine introductory book to the Tudor dynasty and the religious changes that happened during the 16th century in England. If this sounds intriguing to you or if you have read “Foundation,” “The History of England Vol. II: Tudors” by Peter Ackroyd might be something you would be interested in reading.

Guest Post: “The Dos and Don’ts of Tudor Men’s Dress – What to Wear in Sixteenth-Century England” by Toni Mount

On By hmalagisiIn guest postLeave a comment

I am pleased to welcome Toni Mount to share her advice about Tudor men’s fashion to promote her latest book, How to Survive in Tudor England. I would like to thank Toni Mount and Pen and Sword Books for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 

In writing my new book How to Survive in Tudor England I realised how tricky it was to be fashionable during the sixteenth century: hard work and expensive for men and women. So here’s a taster of what was required for a man to get noticed at court.

Henry VII favors long robes of fine cloth to show his wealth but his son, young Henry VIII, famed for his athletic, shapely legs, wears fitted hose and short robes so he can show off his best features. Now that the robe is so short, the flap that covers the join between the two separate legs of the hose [stockings] for modesty’s sake is now visible and Henry turns this into an asset by attaching a great codpiece to show off his virility. Since the courtiers take their fashion cues from the king, codpieces become a vital accessory. Henry is a well-muscled sporty young man but even so, his natural physique is accentuated by padding the shoulders of his doublet to extreme proportions. 

Henry VIIIHenry VIII wearing a padded doublet 

In this image, you can see the slashes in the sleeves of his doublet so that little puffs of his fine shirt can be pulled through. The doublet has a skirt or peplum, of varying length according to fashion, underneath which are hidden ties (‘points’) or hooks, to attach the breeches. 

The basics of men’s clothing is wearing layers. Next to your skin, you have a white linen shirt. This may be embroidered around the collar band. Katherine of Aragon introducebris ‘black-work’ embroidery from Spain and this becomes very fashionable, looking good on white linen. Later, the collar band is simply what your ruff is pinned onto, unless it has become a separate item by the time of your visit.

Breeches and hose come in a bewildering variety, going in and out of fashion almost weekly – another reason why a courtier’s wardrobe can empty his purse in no time, just trying to keep up. Here is a selection: round or French hose are short, full breeches ending anywhere between the upper thigh to just above the knee and excessively padded at the hips to accentuate your buttocks. These can make dancing or even walking elegantly quite difficult. Canions are tight-fitting tubes attached to the short version of the round hose to extend them to the knee. Below the knee, you wear stockings or ‘netherstocks’ held up with garters.

Whatever the style, the hose must be ‘paned’ – that is cut into narrow panels, joined at the waist and hem, with a colored lining showing between the panes. With so much padding and paning, you can understand why the codpiece is in decline, giving way to a modest buttoned or lace-up opening that doesn’t spoil the symmetry of your panes. Both your doublet and hose may also be decorated by ‘pinking’: slits cut in the fabric, in a pattern, with the coloured lining pulled through, as in Henry VIII’s time. One contemporary commentator of Elizabethan men’s fashion thought things had become quite ridiculous:  ‘Except it were a dog in a doublet you shall not see any so disguised as are my countrymen of England’, he wrote and Elizabethan clothes indeed disguise the wearer’s true physique more than the fashions of any other period. 

Sir Walter RaleighThe fashionable Sir Walter Raleigh

As you’ll see in the portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh [above], men also need to wear a bit of bling. Sir Walter has a single pearl earring, the sign of a truly fashionable man-about-town. Finger rings are a must.

Facial hair is also in vogue ever since Henry VIII grew a beard but at the Elizabethan court, the natural look isn’t enough. Once again, Sir Walter is a fine example to copy with his beard neatly trimmed to a point and his moustache curled. Set your ensemble with a short cape, fur-lined, and edged with a braid. This isn’t a practical cloak to keep you warm and dry but rather an accessory to be draped nonchalantly over one shoulder for that devil-may-care look that’s the height of fashion.

Footwear

No one of any significance goes without shoes. The pointy-toed, medieval styles go out of fashion almost as the first Tudor king sits on the throne. Rounded toes are the thing. But Henry VIII, maybe because he has broad feet, went further, creating a fashion for square toes. With more leather used to make the uppers, it’s also possible to have slashes to show off a contrasting inner lining, as with sleeves. However, these early Tudor styles are thin-soled and flat like their medieval predecessors but around 1500, somebody invents the ‘welt’ – a narrow strip of leather that goes around the shoe, in between the upper and the sole, making the shoe far more sturdy and able to withstand fancier shaping and decoration. 

King Henry is tall and impressive anyway but others who want to emulate him could do with a few extra inches in height and by the time of Elizabeth heeled shoes have been invented. At first, the heel is just a wedge of cork or wood fixed between the leather sole and the upper but soon these become proper heels and part of the sole. With so much innovation in the world of shoemaking, in 1579 the queen grants their coat-of-arms to the Guild of Cordwainers in London.

Women’s dainty dress shoes, called ‘pinsons’, now with heels and a more dainty tapered toe, can be of silk, velvet, or brocade often with bejeweled rosettes. Mid-century, most are slip-ons but lacing and buckles become increasingly fashionable. A pair of Tudor or Elizabethan shoes are made the same for both feet so there is no correct right or left shoe so they can be swapped over for more even wear. 

For outdoor wear, you can either put overshoes on to protect your indoor footwear, or you can have leather boots for walking and riding. Loose or tight-fitting, ‘gamaches’ are thigh-length high boots, and ‘buskins’ come to the calf.  

colour chartActs of Apparel 

In Henry VIII’s reign, realizing some of the up-and-coming wealthier gentry and merchants were wearing more sumptuous clothes than noblemen and courtiers, new laws are passed, termed Acts of Apparel, in 1509-10, 1514, 1515, and 1533. Europe has similar ideas but whereas their regulations tend to be drawn up by and apply only to individual towns, England’s laws come from Parliament and apply throughout the country, in theory, anyway.  

According to the 1509-10 Act against Wearing of Costly Apparel, only the king, the queen, the king’s mother (the act must have been first drawn up before Margaret Beaufort died in June 1509), along with the king’s brothers and sisters can wear cloth of purple silk or gold, while dukes and marquises can only use cloth of gold as linings of their coats and doublets. An earl and those of higher rank may wear sable fur, but those below may not. Certain imported furs can be worn by royal grooms and pages, university graduates, yeomen, and landowners whose estates bring in an income of at least £11 per annum. Barons and knights of the Order of the Garter (the highest-ranking knights) are permitted to wear woolen textiles manufactured abroad but, for those of lesser status, it’s a crime to wear imported cloth. The same applies to wearing clothes dyed with the most expensive crimson and blue dyes. 

CrimsonToo much crimson dye?

Anyone who isn’t a lord’s son, a government servant, or a gentleman with an income from the land of at least £100 per annum is forbidden to wear velvet, satin, or damask, although, if their land is worth £20 or more, satin, damask or camlet may be used to line or trim their clothing but not for the main, visible body of the garment. 

The problem is, as it has been for centuries, more and more successful merchants are becoming richer than the aristocracy. Intermarriage makes matters even more complex. The nobility want to share in mercantile wealth and merchants yearn for titles and high status. The solution is for a lord’s penniless second and untitled son to wed the daughter of a rich merchant but where do their offspring stand on the social ladder? The children aren’t the sons and daughters of a lord and yet they can now afford to live in greater opulence than their paternal relatives who still have titles. No wonder the laws are flouted. 

An additional oddity concerns the way wealth is judged. Annual income from land is always regarded as having greater status than the same monetary income gained from trade. The sumptuary laws passed in the reign of King Edward III, in 1363, equated a landowner worth £200 a year to a merchant worth £1,000. These relative values are still maintained throughout the Tudor period. And there is another problem that becomes more acute in Henry VIII’s reign: that of people – and courtiers were some of the worst offenders – vying with their peers to be the most fashionable and expensively dressed and running up huge debts in the process. This situation leads to An Acte for Reformacyon of Excesse in Apparayle being passed in 1533:

…for the necessaire repressing avoiding and expelling of the inordinate excesse dailye more and more used in the sumptuous and costly araye and apparel accustomablye worne in this Realme, whereof hath ensued and dailie do chaunce suche sundrie high and notable inconveniences as to be the greate manifest an notorious detriment of the common Weale, the subvercion of good and politike order in knowledge and distinction of people according to their estates p[re]emyences dignities and degrees, and to the utter impoverysshement and undoyng of many inexpert and light persones inclined to pride moder of all vices…

Despite the declaration that these laws are intended to avoid the ‘notorious detriment of the common weal’, i.e. everyone, the legislation is aimed, as usual, at morally ‘light persons inclined to pride (mother of all vices)’. The laws also reiterate earlier attempts to mark out prostitutes from respectable women but in 1533 the earlier, medieval customs of what was considered respectable attire are enshrined in law for the first time, in particular, that a married woman must cover her hair – a ‘loose’ woman, i.e. one wearing her hair loose and uncovered is of easy virtue and up to no good. 

An excess of wool production led to an Act of Parliament in 1571, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, to boost the sales of English woolen cloth. It becomes law that on Sundays and every official holiday all males over six years of age, except for the nobility and persons of degree, are to wear woolen caps on pain of a fine of three farthings (¾ of a penny) per day. Whether it works or not in practice, the act is repealed in 1597. In June 1574, Elizabeth issues the following statute from Greenwich Palace: 

The excess of apparel and the superfluity of unnecessary foreign wares thereto belonging… is grown to such an extremity that the decay of the whole realm is like to follow (by bringing into the realm such superfluities of silks, cloth of gold, silver, and other vain devices of so great cost as of necessity the moneys of the realm is yearly conveyed out of the same to answer the said excess) but also the undoing of a great number of young gentlemen seeking by show of apparel to be esteemed as gentlemen not only consume themselves, their goods, and lands which their parents left unto them, but also run into such debts as they cannot live out of danger of laws without attempting unlawful acts… [edited]

Despite the fact that the queen and everyone else understand the cost of trying to keep up with the latest fashions, no amount of law-making can prevent the young gallants from spending far beyond their means.

Another 1597 proclamation on the subject goes into minute detail. Only earls can wear cloth of gold or purple silk. No one under the degree of knight is allowed silk ‘netherstocks’ (long stockings) or velvet outer garments. A knight’s eldest son may wear velvet doublets and hose but his younger brothers can’t. A baron’s eldest son’s wife may wear gold or silver lace which is forbidden to women below her in the pecking order. Who is allowed to wear what is supposed to be strictly controlled as the queen’s subjects must know their place and dress accordingly so that no one can be misled. At least, that’s the theory but you can see that the laws are confusing and is it any wonder that people ignore them? Will you obey the law or wear fashionable clothes, no matter the cost?  

The frequency of acts and the huge number of laws passed proves that the authorities are losing the fight to keep the social distinctions, maintain morals and ethics, preserve the English economy against foreign imports, and restrain the excesses of fashion. However, a good many of the various sumptuary laws, dating back to as early as the fourteenth century, were still on the English statute books as recently as the 1800s, and, who knows, some may as yet remain, hidden in the dusty archives in the twenty-first century.

So this is an introduction of what to wear – or not – for the stylish courtier in the sixteenth century. If you wish to read about many interesting characters, places, food, and pastimes of the sixteenth century, my new book How to Survive in Tudor England will be published on 30th October 2023.  

Pen & Sword Book Cover / Jacket artwork

Blurb

Imagine you were transported back in time to Tudor England and had to start a new life there, without smartphones, internet, or social media. When transport means walking or, if you’re lucky, horseback, how will you know where you are or where to go? Where will you live and where will you work? What will you eat and what shall you wear? And who can you turn to if you fall ill or are mugged in the street, or God forbid if you upset the king? In a period when execution by beheading was the fate of thousands how can you keep your head in Tudor England? 

All these questions and many more are answered in this new guidebook for time-travelers: How to Survive in Tudor England. A handy self-help guide with tips and suggestions to make your visit to the 16th century much more fun, this lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with the new experiences they may encounter and the problems that might occur. 

Enjoy interviews with the celebrities of the day, and learn some new words to set the mood for your time-traveling adventure. Have an exciting visit but be sure to keep this book to hand.

Toni Mount cropToni Mount Biography

Toni Mount researches, teaches, and writes about history. She is the author of several popular historical non-fiction books and writes regularly for various history magazines. As well as her weekly classes, Toni has created online courses for http://www.MedievalCourses.com and is the author of the popular Sebastian Foxley series of medieval murder mysteries. She’s a member of the Richard III Society’s Research Committee, a costumed interpreter, and speaks often to groups and societies on a range of historical subjects. Toni has a Master’s Degree in Medieval Medicine, Diplomas in Literature, Creative Writing, European Humanities, and a PGCE. She lives in Kent, England with her husband.

Book Review: “Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life” by Wendy J. Dunn

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Henry VIII's True DaughterIllegitimate royal children have been known to make an impact on history. Take Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, and Bessie Blount, whom Henry VIII acknowledged as his son. There were discussions about Henry Fitzroy becoming the heir apparent if Henry VIII did not have a legitimate son. But what about the illegitimate children that a king did not acknowledge? What might their lives have been like? The story of Mary Boleyn and her affair with King Henry VIII has been told many times, but the story of her daughter born during that time is lesser known. In her first full-length nonfiction book, “Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life,” Wendy J Dunn has taken on the task of discovering the truth of Catherine Carey’s parentage and how it impacted her life.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I just finished reading Wendy J. Dunn’s novel, “The Light in the Labyrinth” about Catherine Carey, which is the book that inspired her to research and write this biography. I wanted to see if Dunn could write nonfiction as well as she writes historical fiction novels.

Dunn begins her biography by exploring what life was like in Tudor England before diving into the main point of her book, that Catherine Carey and her brother Henry Carey, were the illegitimate children of Mary Boleyn and Henry VIII. This was a point that she made in “The Light in the Labyrinth,” but it is in this biography that Dunn is able to expand on her theories even further, including the theory that Catherine was in the Tower and on the scaffold when her aunt, Anne Boleyn, was executed as a young woman. It is a sad theory, but it might explain why she was so close to her potential half-sister, Elizabeth Tudor.

Dunn shows how Catherine Carey grew up in the shadows of Henry VIII’s court. It is there where she met and fell in love with Francis Knollys, whom she married in April of 1540. As an audience, we get to see Catherine become a mother during the last years of the reign of Henry VIII and Edward VI’s tenure as king. It was during Mary I’s reign that life became dangerous for Catherine, Francis, and their family as they were Puritans, so they fled to Germany for three years. It was not until the reign of her potential half-sister Elizabeth that Catherine returned to court to serve her queen until Catherine died in 1569.

I think Dunn does a great job of combining her knowledge of Catherine Carey with her writing style as a historical fiction novelist. It creates a unique reading experience. I think for a first try at a full-length nonfiction book, it is pretty good. If you want a full-length biography of Catherine Carey that is informative with theories that will make you question what you think you know about the Tudors, I would suggest you read “Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life” by Wendy J Dunn.

Book Review: “How to Survive in Tudor England” by Toni Mount

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

How to Survive in Tudor EnglandTime travel is a dream for history and science fiction nerds alike. To be able to go to a different period in history to witness major events sounds like it would be tons of fun, but it can also be treacherous if you do not know the era well. What should you wear? Where would you live? What would your occupation be and what should you eat? If you are invited to court, how do you navigate the crazy court intrigue and the ever-changing religious dilemma? Toni Mount has created the ideal book for those who wish to travel to the 16th century called, “How to Survive in Tudor England.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have read Mount’s medieval books, both her nonfiction and a few of her Sebastian Foxley murder mystery novels, but when I heard that she was writing a nonfiction book about the Tudor dynasty, I was fascinated to see how she would tackle the period.

Mount begins by exploring the origins of the Tudor dynasty and how they came into power through a little conflict that we know today as the Wars of the Roses. As this is an area of expertise for Mount, I think she did a great job condensing the conflict, which included a quick interview with King Richard III, for those who are being introduced to the Tudors.

The bulk of this book focuses on different aspects of life in 16th century England and how a time traveler could use this information for their benefit while traveling. Starting with the ever-important Tudor social structure, Mount shows how drastically different the levels of the hierarchy were, from the poor beggars who relied on the church to the lords and ladies of the court. We are introduced to Tudor education and the English scholars in the field of science, careers for those who did not receive a higher education, as well as the constant religious struggle between Protestantism and Catholicism.

From spies, traveling, and decoding ciphers to dresses, dining, and what to do in your downtime, Mount covers quite a range of topics in an easy-to-follow travel guide. However, my absolute favorite aspect of this book was the fictional interviews Mount included. She does not stick with the Tudors that everyone knows but rather includes lesser-known figures like Thomas “The Rackmaster” Norton, Christopher Kit Marlowe, and the scientist Thomas Digges. These interviews added context and a bit of levity in some rather dark subjects.

As a historical time travel guide, I found this book informative and fun. If you do indeed get the chance to travel back to the Tudor era, or you just want to know a bit more about life in Tudor England, “How to Survive in Tudor England” by Toni Mount is a book you should have on your shelf as a go-to guide.

Book Review: “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn” by Wendy J. Dunn

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The light in the labyrinthThe year is 1535 and a young girl whose mother was a shining light at court, dreams of getting away from her family and joins her aunt at court. Her name is Kate Carey, the daughter of Mary (Boleyn) Carey, and her aunt is Queen Anne Boleyn. Little does Kate know that the court life she desires is full of danger and enemies around every corner. In the labyrinth of court life, Kate must navigate it successfully to come out alive, even as her aunt’s reign is coming to an end and a secret is revealed that will radically change her life forever. Wendy J. Dunn tells Kate Carey’s story in her young adult novel, “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Wendy J. Dunn for sending me a copy of this novel. I do love a good young adult novel and so when I heard about Wendy Dunn releasing a new edition of a young adult Tudor novel that she had written previously, I knew I wanted to read it.

We begin with a dispute between Kate and her mother Mary. Kate is upset with her mother after she remarries William Stafford when her father William Carey dies. She wants to get away from home and go to the court of Henry VIII where her aunt, Anne Boleyn, sits as queen. Reluctantly, Mary agrees to Kate’s request and allows Kate to join her brother Harry Carey in court.

Kate’s entrance to the glittery Tudor court comes at a crucial point. Anne Boleyn is pregnant with what she hopes will be the son she and Henry desire. Kate is surrounded by her cousins including Meg Lee, her uncle George, and of course her aunt Anne. Along the way, Kate falls head over heels in love with Francis Knollys and learns a secret about her father that will rock her small world forever. However, Kate learns that love in court is a double-edged sword that can have deadly consequences.

When King Henry VIII had his jousting accident, Anne suffered a miscarriage and lost her son who would have been her savior. The fall of Anne Boleyn was nothing short of tragic, but to see it from her young niece Kate’s perspective added layers of depth and emotion that I was not prepared to read. I have read so many different accounts of the death of Anne Boleyn, both fiction and nonfiction, but Kate Carey’s version hit me emotionally that I was almost in tears by the end.

Dunn has not only shown that she is a brilliant author of historical fiction but also a fantastic young adult historical fiction writer. It is not just the main story, but the poetry and the two short stories that show how much love Dunn has for Kate Carey. A true triumph of a novel that I did not want to end. I do hope she will write more young adult historical fiction novels set in the Tudor era. If you want a heartbreakingly spectacular novel set in the Tudor age, I highly suggest you read, “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn” by Wendy J. Dunn.

Book Review: “The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracies, Treason, and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant” by Robert Hutchinson

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Last Days of Henry VIII

King Henry VIII, who ruled as a tyrant for almost 40 years, is dying. He caused mayhem and mischief by marrying six wives, killing two of them, with the dissolution of the monasteries, the creation of the Church of England, and his international policies. In short, it was a hot mess towards the end of his reign. So how did the last few months of King Henry VIII play out and how was he honored by those closest to the throne? Robert Hutchinson takes an in-depth look into this tumultuous period in history in his book, “The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracies, Treason, and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant.”

I found this particular book in a used bookstore one day and decided to try it. I have heard of Robert Hutchinson, but I have never read any of his books. 

Hutchinson begins with the day that King Henry VIII breathed his last breath on January 28, 1547. He is no longer the glamorous Renaissance prince, but rather he is a hugely obese man with festering wounds on his legs. The years have taken their toll on the king, but no one feels sympathy for the man. He has made so many around him live in abject terror for decades. Now, it is time for a fresh start with the reign of King Edward VI, his beloved son.

We then jump back in time so that Hutchinson can show his readers exactly why King Henry VIII was feared towards the end of his life. He starts with the last three marriages of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katherine Parr. The way that Hutchinson characterized Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard in this book irked me quite a bit, even though I know this book is older and there is new research about both queens that contradicts Hutchinson’s perspective. 

Multiple marriages were not the only concern during the last years of Henry VIII’s life as he had to deal with heretics, international politics, and how the country should be run after his death. What I found truly fascinating about this book is the sources that Hutchinson used to tell the tale of the last years of Henry VIII’s life. They show how chaotically terrifying Henry’s court was towards the end. Hutchinson shows how the ambitious men around Edward VI tried to take control, but failed miserably as Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I ruled with just as much vigor as their powerful father. Finally, we see what happened to Henry VIII’s earthly remains and why his marvelous tomb vanished, leaving a simple marker to indicate where he and his beloved Jane Seymour were buried. 

Hutchinson does his due diligence to show how maniacal Henry VIII was, especially towards the end of his life. He does not mince words in his opinions about Henry and his court, which I may not agree with completely, but he makes strong arguments for his opinions. Overall, a very well-written and informative book. If you want a book that explores the final years of the infamous king, I would suggest you check out, “The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracies, Treason, and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant” by Robert Hutchinson.

Book Review: “Penelope- Tudor Baroness” by Tony Riches

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

PenelopeIn a time when marrying for love was taboo, one woman took a stand to follow her heart no matter the consequences. Lady Penelope Devereux, the daughter of Lady Lettice Knollys and the step-daughter of Sir Robert Dudley understands how dangerous it is to defy the wishes of Queen Elizabeth I. Her mother and stepfather were banished from court for choosing to marry secretly, but this did not deter Penelope from pursuing love. A story spanning decades, full of love, intrigue, and plots galore, “Penelope- Tudor Baroness” by Tony Riches tells the tale of this remarkable woman and her family.

I would like to thank Tony Riches for sending me a copy of his latest novel. I have been a fan of Riches’ previous novels, which were written about male protagonists, so when I heard that he was writing a book about a Tudor woman, I was curious. I did not know much about Penelope’s life before this novel and I wanted to learn about her life.

Riches begins his novel with Penelope as a young woman going to work at court as a maid of honor for Queen Elizabeth I. It is a great honor as her parents were Lord Walter and Lady Lettice Devereux. To learn what it meant to be a maid of honor, she and her siblings went to the house of Catherine Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon. It seemed as if Penelope was destined for greatness, but it all came crashing down when her mother Lettice married the queen’s favorite, Sir Robert Dudley. A devastating blow for a young woman who wanted a role in the glittering Tudor court, but it did not deter her for long.

Penelope was a woman known for her beauty as she caught the attention of men like Anthony Bagot before she ever set foot in Elizabeth’s court. Her looks captured the attention of Sir Philip Sidney, who wrote the sonnet Astrophel and Stella in her honor. Sidney had her heart, but she would marry a man she did not love, Lord Rich. She is willing to risk everything for love, including her standing at court and the family she has with Lord Rich, but the man she risked it all for is not Sir Philip Sidney. The man who had Penelope’s heart for over 20 years was Charles Blount.

Penelope saw great change during her lifetime. She saw Elizabeth courting the Duke of Anjou and the attack of the Spanish Armada. She was in the middle of her brother’s failed rebellion against Queen Elizabeth, which was known as the Essex Rebellion. Penelope swore loyalty to King James I as Queen Elizabeth was approaching the end of her life and she was there as a lady of the bedchamber for Queen Anne of Denmark. Towards the end of her life, Lady Penelope Rich saw the impact of the Gunpowder Plot against King James I, her divorce from Lord Rich, and fighting for the rights of her children with Charles Blount.

Riches weaves a delightful tale of love, and loyalty to one’s family even amongst plots for power. Penelope was a strongly independent woman who fought for love and her family, even if that meant becoming enemies with the most powerful people in England. A remarkable woman who left her mark on both the Tudor and Stuart dynasties, Lady Penelope Rich took her life and legacy into her own hands. “Penelope- Tudor Baroness” by Tony Riches is a gorgeous novel that fans of Tudor and Stuart history will adore.

Book Review: “The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget” by Alex Anglesey

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Great SurvivorRulers cannot govern alone. They require a team of men and women behind them to operate as a cohesive unit. The same can be said for rulers during the Tudor dynasty. We know the stories of men like Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, two men who rose through the ranks to prominent seats of power to ultimately have disastrous falls from grace. However, there was a third Tudor politician who should be in this discussion about rags-to-riches stories. He was the son of a common merchant who went to serve most of the Tudor monarchs as an advisor. Conspiracies and rebellions kept him on his toes, but he ultimately survived the Tudor dynasty, which was a difficult thing to achieve. His name was Lord William Paget and his story is told by his descendant Alex Anglesey in his debut book, “The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have heard the name William Paget in previous books that I have read about the Tudors, but he is one of those figures that felt like a footnote to me. When I heard that there was going to be a biography about Paget, I wanted to read it and learn more about this Tudor politician.

Alex Anglesey, the current Marquess of Anglesey, tells the story of how when he was a child living in the family home of Plas Newydd. Anglesey was able to use family letters to piece together the story of his ancestor, William Paget, a man of low status who rose through the ranks and served four Tudor monarchs.

The beginning of Paget’s international political career was traveling all across Europe to convince other European countries to accept the Great Matter. During this time, William married Anne Preston and they had nine children. He was the secretary for both Queen Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves, and he witnessed the dissolution of the monasteries before making his way into the Privy Council as a clerk.

Paget’s first major role was as the English ambassador to France during the reign of King Francis I and gave news to the king about the downfall of Katherine Howard, but it did not last long as he was needed back in England to become Secretary of State. He was King Henry VIII’s private secretary towards the end of his life and helped craft Henry’s last will and testament. After siding with Edward Seymour during the reign of Edward VI, William barely survived a stay in the Tower of London, but he did. During Mary I’s reign, he helped organize the marriage between Mary I and Philip and witnessed the infamous burnings of Protestants. Paget only saw a few years of Elizabeth’s reign before he passed away.

Anglesey shows how Paget and his family were able to survive the Tudor dynasty by staying neutral on matters like religion while still promoting peace. I did find this book a bit dry in places and some of the references to the modern age felt a bit out of place. Overall, it was informative and not a bad read for a debut book. If you want to learn more about a lesser-known political figure who lived during the Tudor dynasty, I suggest you read, “The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget” by Alex Anglesey.

Book Review: “How to Dress Like a Tudor” by Judith Arnopp

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

How to dress like a TudorHave you ever watched a historical drama and wondered what it might have been like to wear the outfits for that period? You see so many reenactment groups online and you are envious of their talents for being able to bring clothing from the past, especially clothes from the 16th century, to life in the modern age. What might it have been like to dress like a lord or a lady? What about a commoner or a monk? How did fashion change throughout the Tudor dynasty? Judith Arnopp answers all of these questions and more in her latest book, “How to Dress Like a Tudor.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am not usually one who has an interest in fashion, but historical fashion and its evolution is an area that does pique my interest. When I heard that there was going to be a book about Tudor fashion by Judith Arnopp, I jumped at the opportunity to read it.

Arnopp begins by explaining how the Tudor dynasty marked a big change when it came to fashion and the sumptuary laws that determined what people could and could not wear according to their social status. We see how different the clothing styles were during the reign of Henry VII compared to his over-the-top son Henry VIII and how Edward VI acted like his father in portraitures. Mary I paved the way for what it meant to be a female ruler in England, but it was Elizabeth I who exemplified the importance of iconography and one’s legacy through fashion and portraits.

The bulk of this book focuses on the individual clothing items for each gender, age, and social status in Tudor England. We begin with Tudor women and their garments, the type of materials that would be used to create the garments, and what colors and different flowers symbolized. Arnopp explores menswear, including the infamous codpiece in both court dress and on the battlefield. We see how the typical court dress differs from how children and clergy dress every single day. Finally, Arnopp shares her tips as an experienced reenactor to help novices get into the field of reenactments.

Overall, I found this book rather enjoyable and an easy-to-understand guide to 16th-century English fashion. I would read novels about the Tudor era and I would get confused about the individual garments, so this helped me with the terminology. The part that was a little flat for me was the practical element where Arnopp would describe step by step how to make each garment. I am not versed in sewing terminology so it was a bit hard for me to follow along. However, I think if you are interested in reenactments or just Tudor fashion in general, I would highly suggest you read, “How to Dress Like a Tudor” by Judith Arnopp.