Tag: Protestant

Book Review: “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie

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We all know the story of Anne Boleyn. The story of the English noblewoman who caught the eye of King Henry VIII, who decided to divorce his first wife, Katharine of Aragon, to marry Anne. He broke away from Rome and created the Church of England to do it, but marital bliss did not last long, as a few years later, Anne would leave their three-year-old daughter Elizabeth behind when she was executed by Henry over charges of adultery. We know this version of the story, but what if we look at Anne’s story from a continental European perspective? How does her story change when we view her life through a religious lens? Heather R. Darsie hopes to show her audience a different side of Anne Boleyn in her latest book, “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed Darsie’s previous books because she adds depth to the Tudor dynasty by exploring European sources that are not prevalent in other nonfiction books about the Tudors. When I heard that she was writing a book about the fall of Anne Boleyn, I was curious to see what new information her continental sources would provide to Anne’s story.

So, how do you add something new to Anne Boleyn’s story when it is one of the most discussed topics when it comes to studying the Tudors? Darsie explains that her book is not a typical book about Anne Boleyn, as it focuses briefly on Anne’s life and examines the legal, religious, and international contexts surrounding her life. Each chapter of this book begins with part of a poem by Sir Thomas Wyatt, which is a nice touch as he was an admirer of Anne Boleyn. The first part of the book was a bit of an overview of Anne’s life, but Darsie did not go into much depth about Anne’s fall. Instead, she shows the relationships between England and continental Europe with the different political powerhouses. I found the information about the relationship between England and the German princes particularly interesting. It is these relationships that would prove pivotal in Anne’s life, reign, and fall from grace.

It is truly part two where Darsie shines. It is here that she focuses on the religious aspects of Anne’s fall. We all know that Anne was a bit more radical when it came to her religious views, but Darsie takes it a step further. She shows how England was trying to break from Rome centuries before Henry came along. Then, we get to see the religious reformers of England and of Europe who impacted Anne’s religious leanings. There is also an incident in Munster with the Anabaptists that freaked out Henry VIII very badly. Once you put the pieces together that Darsie lays out, it is quite astounding. 

As someone who reads a lot about Anne Boleyn, I am always looking for a new approach to her life. This is exactly what I wanted. By the end, I was speechless, and it brought new life to Anne’s fall and ultimate death. If you are a Tudor nerd and want a new angle to Anne Boleyn’s story, I highly recommend you read “‘If Any Person Will Meddle of My Cause’: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Heather R. Darsie.

Book Review: “Thomas More: A Life” by Joanne Paul

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The year is 1535, and an educated scholar, father, writer, and the former Chancellor of England marches to his demise. His crime was staying silent on an issue that the King deemed extremely important: the idea that the King of England should be the Supreme Head of the Church of England, not the Pope. As a Catholic, Sir Thomas More does not agree with this decree and must die. How did one of the most prominent Tudor scholars of his age fall so quickly? Joanne Paul explores the rise and dramatic fall of this infamous Tudor figure in her latest biography, “Thomas More: A Life.”

Joanne Paul is slowly becoming one of my favorite nonfiction writers. Her debut, “The House of Dudley,” was spectacular, and when I heard that she was writing a biography about Thomas More, I knew I wanted to read it. I know the basic information about Thomas More’s life and his books about the Wars of the Roses and Utopia, but I wanted a book that gives more details about his life.

Thomas More was the son of the lawyer John More and his wife Agnes, born in 1478. A child of the Wars of the Roses, the shifting sands of the political landscape of his youth will prepare him for the tumultuous Tudor court of his adulthood. While he recalls the reign of King Richard III in his book about the period, it should be noted that he was a boy during the king’s reign. 

Thomas became a scholar who specialized in Humanism and created a community of like-minded scholars and artists, including men like Desiderius Erasmus. Thomas More would marry twice, to Jane Colt, the mother of his children, Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecily, and John, and Alice Harpur. He would ensure that all his children received a proper Humanist education, and his children, especially Margaret, were praised for their scholarly abilities. He would begin to write like he was running out of time and create one of his most famous works about politics, Utopia, as well as go toe to toe against Martin Luther himself. 

 More would continue his academic pursuits, even when he captured the attention of King Henry VIII, who would appoint him Chancellor of England. While a great honor, Thomas did not agree with the King on the Great Matter as he believed Queen Katherine of Aragon was the rightful wife of King Henry VIII. He would persecute those whom he deemed as heretics as a devout Catholic man, and it was ultimately his faith that would lead to his earthly doom. When Henry VIII decided that he wanted his people to swear an oath that Henry VIII was the Supreme Head of the Church of England instead of the Pope. As a devout Catholic, Thomas More’s silence was deafening, and he was condemned as a traitor to the crown, destined to be executed.

Even though Thomas More was a controversial figure of the Tudor era for Ricardians and Protestants alike, we in the modern age can learn a lot from his life and apply it to our own time. Paul does it again, as this is a stunning biography of a man who was a scholar and an outspoken Catholic in a time when the King’s power was becoming dangerous.  The way she weaves the historical facts, including More’s numerous pieces of writing, with a narrative that is easy to follow is astounding. Truly, this is the definitive biography on Sir Thomas More. If you want a fabulous biography on such an infamous figure of the Tudor age, I highly recommend you read “Thomas More: A Life” by Joanne Paul.

Book Review: “Queen James: A New History About the Life and Loves of Britain’s First King, James Stuart” by Gareth Russell

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We all know the story of the last Tudor monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, who often viewed herself as a female king and who remained a virgin for her entire life. With her death, the Tudor dynasty ended, and a brand new dynasty made its mark on English history. It was a dynasty in England that the son of Elizabeth started I’s rival, Mary Queen of Scots, King James VI of Scotland. King James was not just a king, but a man in love with numerous lovers, and when he fell in love, he fell hard. Gareth Russell explores the life of King James VI/I, who ruled two nations while searching for true love in his latest book, “Queen James: A New History About the Life and Loves of Britain’s First King, James Stuart.”

I am a big fan of Gareth Russell’s books, and so when I heard that he was writing a new biography, I jumped at the chance to read it. I didn’t know much about King James VI/I, especially when it comes to his reign in England or his love life, so I was excited to learn more. Plus, I liked the title of this particular edition of this book.

Like any good biography, we have to start at the beginning, or in James’ case, when his mother was still pregnant with him. Even before he was born, some wanted to see James dead, including those who killed David Riccio in front of his mother, Mary Queen of Scots. James would never know his father, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, as he was killed at Kirk O’Field when James was very young. Mary Queen of Scots would flee to England, making James King of Scotland. James was raised to be a Protestant king who would navigate plenty of plots against his life. He was not interested in marriage, but he would marry Anna of Denmark, a vivacious queen who brought her love of theater and arts to James’ life, as well as Catholicism and seven children, including Charles I and Elizabeth Stuart, “The Winter Queen” of Bohemia.

When Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, James took the opportunity and became King of England. James had to deal with the affairs of two nations, try to come up with a brand new translation of the Bible, as well as the witch hunts that were becoming more prevalent during this time. Add to James’ troubles were European politics and the constant fighting between Catholics and Protestants, and you start to understand why he relied so heavily on his favorites, specifically Alexander “Sandy” Lindsay, Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, and George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. James’s favorites were his lovers, and they provided him with the love that he was looking for all of his life.

No one writes nonfiction the way Gareth Russell does with such care and an engaging writing style. This is another triumph as he shows that although there were rivalries in love, plots a plenty, and religious ruckus, at the heart of the Jacobean reign was a complex man who had his heart on his sleeve and fell in love quickly and hard. If you want a fabulous biography about a king and the ones he loved the most, I highly recommend you read “Queen James: A New History About the Life and Loves of Britain’s First King, James Stuart” by Gareth Russell.

Book Review: “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza” by Susan Abernethy

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Throughout English history, a colorful cast of queens has left their marks in their distinct ways. While the Plantagenet and Tudor queens are more well-known, the Stuart queens and the mistresses of the Stuart kings were dynamic in their unique ways. One of the lesser-known queens was the wife of King Charles II. Though Charles II is known for his numerous mistresses, his wife Catherine of Braganza is not discussed much in England, but in her native Portugal, she is famous. So who was Catherine of Braganza, and what is her legacy in England and Portugal? Susan Abernethy tells the story of this almost forgotten queen in her book, “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am someone who is dipping her toes into the Stuart dynasty, so I wanted to explore a story about someone new to me. When I saw the title and subject of this book, it piqued my curiosity because I have heard of Catherine of Braganza, but I know nothing about her.

Before we dive into the actual life of Catherine of Braganza, Abernethy takes the time to explore the relationship between Portugal and England, which culminated in the union of King Charles II and Catherine. I didn’t know much about the history of Portugal except for the aspect that is included during the life of John of Gaunt, so I was excited to learn more about how Portugal became a trading and exploration powerhouse. It was the rise of the House of Braganza that propelled Catherine into a position to marry the King of England.

As the daughter of King John IV of Portugal and Queen Luisa de Guzman, Catherine was destined to marry a member of royalty, but the issue was a matter of faith. Catherine was a devout Roman Catholic, whereas Charles II was a Protestant who was trying to restore his kingdom after the reign of the Protector Oliver Cromwell. Catherine also had to deal with the numerous mistresses of Charles II, like Barbara Villiers, Lucy Walter, Louise de Keroualle, and Nell Gwyn, who were able to give Charles children while Catherine remained barren. Throw in a few anti-Catholic plots, and you can start to understand the strain Catherine was under while living in England. Eventually, after the death of Charles II, Catherine decided to return to her native Portugal, where her life took an unexpected twist with the War of the Spanish Succession until she died in 1705.

I found Catherine of Braganza such a fascinating figure. She did so much in her lifetime, and it is a shame that Catherine does not get more attention. Abernethy does an excellent job of telling the story of this queen who is often in the shadow of more boisterous figures of the age and integrating the history of Portugal into this book. If you want to learn more about a Stuart queen who is often forgotten and her impact on two nations, I highly recommend you read “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza” by Susan Abernethy.

Book Review: “Henry VIII and His Rabbis: How the King Relied on Jewish Law to End His First Marriage – and Why He Failed” by Jerry Rabow

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The Great Matter was a defining event in the lives of King Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, and Anne Boleyn. One of the world’s messiest divorces, it saw Henry VIII trying everything in his bag of tricks to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to marry his new infatuation, Anne Boleyn. While we know that the basis for his argument that he should be able to divorce Catherine comes from the book of Leviticus in the Bible, we often see Henry’s debate through the Catholic and Protestant lenses. However, Henry relied on another group of people who had not been on English soil for centuries, the Jews. What does Jewish law bring to the discussion of the Great Matter and did it help Henry? Jerry Rabow examines this often overlooked aspect of Henry’s road to divorce in his book, “Henry VIII and His Rabbis: How the King Relied on Jewish Law to End His First Marriage- and Why He Failed.”

I want to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. Obviously, as a Tudor nerd, I am very familiar with the Great Matter, but when I saw that it was focusing on Jewish law and how it pertained to this case in particular. I have some knowledge of theological debates from college, so I wanted to see how in-depth Rabow would go.

Rabow begins by exploring the phenomenon known as Tudormania before diving into a brief history of the Jewish people in England before Henry VIII’s reign. He then takes the time to provide background information about the Great Matter, including discussing the Leviticus Prohibitions, which would be the base of Henry’s argument for his divorce. I have to say that the way Rabow covered the Tudor portion of this book felt like he oversimplified things or made assertions about their characters that felt generic.

When it comes to the main topic, Rabow spends a bit of time explaining Jewish law and the different Jewish traditions. This foundation is important because different Jewish traditions understand the Leviticus Prohibitions in different ways. One tradition believes in a levirate marriage, which allows a brother to marry his sister-in-law if his brother dies without an heir. So essentially what happened when Henry married Catherine after Arthur died. To say Henry was not thrilled with this branch of Jewish tradition would be an understatement. Rabow shows his audience how Henry VIII relied on Jewish scholars in Italy to help defeat the Pope’s gridlock on the matter.

I think the theological matters and the history of the Jewish people and scholars were interesting in this book. Where it fell short for me was when Rabow entered the Tudor court. Overall, it was an interesting book with a unique twist on the story of the Great Matter. If you want a book that explores the Great Matter with a twist, I suggest you read, “Henry VIII and His Rabbis: How the King Relied on Jewish Law to End His First Marriage- and Why He Failed” by Jerry Rabow.

Book Review: “Rebellious Grace” by Jeri Westerson

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Christmas is a time of merriment and joy unless you are in the court of Henry VIII in 1536. Then it is a time of stress and murder. Henry’s second wife Anne Boleyn has only been dead for a few months while his third wife Jane Seymour is slowly adjusting to her new role as queen. A rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace is taking over northern England and the leader Robert Aske wants to visit the court to discuss matters with King Henry VIII. To top it all off, a servant of Queen Jane has been murdered and the only one who can solve the crime is a fool, Will Somers. Can Will Somers connect the dots and save those closest to him, or will the treasonous act be another downfall in such a tumultuous year? This is the premise for the third book in the A King’s Fool Mystery series, “Rebellious Grace” by Jeri Westerson.

Thank you Severn House and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. This is the second book in the A King’s Fool Mystery series I have read, the first being The Twilight Queen. While I had issues with The Twilight Queen when I saw that Westerson would cover the Pilgrimage of Grace and Jane Seymour in her next novel, I decided to give the series another chance.

We begin with the discovery of the body. The male servant Geoffrey Payne had his neck slashed in a rather unusual way, but there was no murder weapon by the body. The body is quickly buried and the investigation is left to Sir Nicholas Carew. However, this is not the only distraction at court, as Will Somers will soon find out. There is a real divide between Protestants and Catholics throughout the kingdom and while Queen Jane Seymour acts as a peacemaker at court, in other areas of England, the Pilgrimage of Grace is on the move to bring back Catholicism, led by Robert Aske. Thomas Cromwell has the idea of inviting Robert Aske to join the Christmas celebrations to discuss matters. And then there is the fact that Elizabeth and Mary are joining their father at court as a way to reconcile. So, you know, a very quiet Christmas.

With the craziness of court, Will Somers is of course caught directly in the middle of the mess. He is not only trying to cheer up his friend and employer King Henry VIII, but after it is discovered that poor Mr. Payne’s corpse was dug back up and disemboweled, he is asked to assist Sir Nicholas Carew with the investigation. To add even more drama, there is a connection between the dead man, the queen’s jewels, and the Seymour family. Will has to juggle all of this plus his ever-complicated love life between his wife Marion and his lover Nicholas Pachett.

I loved this mystery, especially the additions of the characters John Blanke, Jane Foole, Jane Seymour, and Edward Seymour. It was so gripping and well-balanced that I finished it in a day, which I hadn’t done with a book in a while. If you want a delightful murder mystery set in the court of Henry VIII or if you have read the other books in the A King’s Fool Mystery series, I highly recommend you read, “Rebellious Grace” by Jeri Westerson.

Book Review: “Sisters of Treason” by Elizabeth Fremantle

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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 Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I” by Alison Weir

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The Passionate TudorA king’s eldest child is usually the next in line to inherit the throne and become the next ruler. At least that is how the line of succession is supposed to work if the heir is male. Mary I knew this better than anyone. As the eldest daughter of King Henry VIII, she knew that once her mother Katherine of Aragon had a son, Mary would become a pawn in the marriage game. She was willing to accept this fate until her father fell in love with Anne Boleyn. Mary is declared a bastard and must fight for her inheritance and the crown of England while maintaining her Catholic faith. Alison Weir tells the tale of this remarkable woman, from her tumultuous childhood to her short reign that marked her legacy, in her latest novel, “The Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed the previous novels in The Tudor Rose trilogy by Alison Weir about Elizabeth of York and King Henry VIII, so when I heard she was writing a book about Mary I, I knew I wanted to read it. Mary I is one of those figures who shows how devastating it can be to be close to the throne and the hard decisions one makes when king or queen of a country.

Weir began her novel with Mary at the age of nine in 1525. She is her parent’s pride and joy as she is their only child. Her mother Katherine of Aragon is arranging an advantageous marriage for Mary that would create a strong alliance for England. Not even the birth of her half-brother Henry Fitzroy could dampen Mary Tudor’s spirits. However, that all changed when Anne Boleyn entered the picture and the Great Matter was made public. Katherine of Aragon is no longer queen, Anne Boleyn is Mary’s stepmother, and Mary is now declared a bastard in favor of her half-sister Elizabeth Tudor.

Mary’s life after the birth of Elizabeth Tudor begins to become even more tragic. Her mother Katherine of Aragon dies before she can see her daughter again and Anne Boleyn is executed for treason soon afterwards. Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour, has his desired male heir Edward VI, before Jane tragically dies quickly. As the Supreme Head of the Church of England, Henry wants his daughter Mary, a devout Catholic, to submit to his will, which she ultimately does. We also get to see how Mary interacted with her other stepmothers, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Katherine Parr, until the death of her father Henry VIII. Before he died, Henry VIII revised his Act of Succession, making Mary Edward’s heir if he did not have children. However, Edward VI has his idea for who will succeed him after he dies and he names Lady Jane Grey as his heir, although that plan does not last long and Mary is proclaimed the first queen of England to rule on her own.

Weir shows Mary’s life and reign in a very sympathetic way. Even though she does still give her the nickname “Bloody Mary”, we can see a woman who is concerned about the faith of her kingdom and the well-being of her family, especially Edward, Prince Philip her husband, and Elizabeth, who she argues with on matters that matter to her. It is such a tragedy that Mary never had a child that she desperately wanted to have as she suffered through phantom pregnancies. At the end of the day, whether it was matters of faith or family, Mary was someone who was passionate and someone who desired to be loved.

This is a delightful novel about a woman who has often been vilified but maybe we should have sympathy for everything she had to endure starting at a young age. I enjoyed this novel very much and I look forward to the next novel by Weir. If you have enjoyed the previous books in the Tudor Rose trilogy or you just want a different take on Mary I’s story, I highly suggest you read, “The Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I” by Alison Weir.

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

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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.

Book Review: “Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots” by Jennifer Morag Henderson

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Daughters of the NorthIn the late 16th/ early 17th centuries, Scotland was chaotic and full of dynamic characters near or on the throne. People like Mary of Guise, Mary Queen of Scots, Lord Darnley, Earl of Bothwell, the four Maries, and James VI/I show how turbulent the Scottish court was to those around it. However, the stories of those who lived outside the court system and tried their best to maintain control of the country for their monarch tend to fade into obscurity. Take for example the story of Jean Gordon. A noblewoman who was married three times; to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, Alexander Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, and her true love, Alex Ogilive. Jean’s story is full of heartaches, clashing clans, religious squabbles, and loyalty to one’s family, which is told in Jennifer Morag Henderson’s book, “Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots.”

I would like to thank Sandstone Press and Casemate for sending me a copy of this book. When it comes to 16th-century history, I mostly focus on England, but I wanted to branch out to other countries and learn more about European history as a whole. When I saw the title of this book, it immediately caught my attention because I wanted to learn more about Scottish history and I did not know anything about Jean Gordon.

Jean Gordon, born in 1545, was the daughter of one of the most powerful men in Northern Scotland (known as King of the North), George Gordon 4th Earl of Huntly, and his wife Elizabeth Keith. When she was a child, Jean fell in love with a man named Alex Ogilive, but it was never meant to be as her family fortune changed when the Huntlys decided to clash with Mary, Queen of Scots’ illegitimate brother Lord James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. This clash ended with the death of George Gordon (with his corpse being put on trial) and the execution of Jean’s brother John Gordon. The family fell out of favor with the young Mary, Queen of Scots, but they would soon rise again.

Mary, Queen of Scots ended up marrying Lord Darnley and having the future King James VI/I of Scotland and England, while in 1566, Jean married James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Jean and James were not married for long because in 1567 after it was found that Lord Darnley was murdered, Bothwell decided to dump Jean and marry Mary, Queen of Scots; we all know how that one turned out. Bothwell was such a jerk, but Jean did not mind as she did not care for Bothwell at all.

Jean would marry for a second time to Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland. They would have between seven and eight children. Although it was an arranged marriage, there was love between Jean and Alexander as they worked hard to maintain order in the North while clans were clashing over small issues (like cutting horsetails) and religious rows. After Alexander died, Jean decided to take a chance and marry her true love Alex Ogilive after over 30 years of waiting. Jean would outlive her husbands, her siblings, some of her children, and several monarchs, dying in 1629.

As someone who did not know much about Jean Gordon’s story or 16th/17th-century Scottish history, I adored this book. Henderson has made this complex history accessible to readers, both novices and experts alike. Now I want to explore more Scottish history, maybe even medieval Scottish history. If you want a fresh look into the wider world of the 16th century full of romance and drama, I highly recommend you read, “Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots” by Jennifer Morag Henderson.