The Tudors have been an area of fascination for historians and history nerds alike for centuries. The attention tends to focus on either Henry VIII and his six wives or his daughter, Elizabeth I, but we need to remember that they were not the only Tudors. In fact, we should remember that Henry VIII had siblings, Arthur, Margaret, and Mary. While Arthur and Mary tend to get more attention due to their proximity to Henry VIII and his marital life, Margaret Tudor had her own eventful life as Queen of Scotland and the mother of King James V. Linda Porter tells Margaret’s story in her latest biography, “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor.”
I had heard that Porter was writing a new biography about Margaret Tudor, so I knew I wanted to read it. I have read a few books about Margaret Tudor, but they have been relatively short, so I wanted to see what new information Porter would include in this book.
Margaret Tudor was the second child of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York. As such, she was destined to marry a foreign prince and create a strong alliance for the brand-new Tudor dynasty. Since her brother Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, Margaret’s parents chose a match with Scotland and King James IV, who was twice the age of Margaret. As Queen of Scotland, Margaret did her best to bridge the gap between England and Scotland, deal with her husband’s mistresses and illegitimate children, and be a mother to her son, King James V.
Everything changed when James IV died at the Battle of Flodden. Margaret was now a widow and regent for the young King James V. To protect her family, Margaret decided to marry Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, which turned out to be a trainwreck. Although Archibald did give Margaret her daughter, Margaret Douglas, he was stealing from Margaret’s own properties, which was a jerk move. Margaret wanted a divorce, but her dear brother Henry VIII was against the idea. A bit hypocritical, especially since he would divorce Catherine of Aragon a few years later. Eventually, Margaret would divorce Archibald and marry a third time to Henry Stewart, Lord Methven.
Throughout history, Margaret Tudor has been viewed negatively because she married Archibald so quickly, but Porter showed that Margaret should be applauded for how she survived during difficult circumstances. She fought for herself and her children, even if it meant that she was at odds with her husbands or her brother. Through her letters, we see how Margaret was a diplomat trying to make peace between England and Scotland.
Porter does an excellent job telling Margaret’s story in a respectful manner. This book is extremely well researched and easy to read. If you are a Tudor fan and you want to learn more about Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Tudor, I highly recommend you read “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter.
It is March 1603, and the Virgin Queen is dying. She has no children to inherit her throne directly, so she must choose a successor. She chooses the son of Mary Queen of Scots, the queen who had been executed a few years before. James VI of Scotland will become James I of England, but was it as easy as William Camden makes it in his account? What does a recent discovery about Camden’s original manuscript of Annales tell us about James’ succession to the throne of England? Tracy explores the messy conflict to find an heir to the English throne in her latest book, “The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty.”
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.”
When we think of the name Macbeth, we often imagine the play by William Shakespeare of a power-hungry man and his equally vicious wife willing to do whatever it took to become King and Queen of Scotland. It is a play about revenge and murder, but Shakespeare did not pull these characters out of thin air. He took these characters from the annals of history, such as a man named Macbeth and his wife, a Lady Macbeth named Gruoch. However, the names are about as much as Shakespeare gets right regarding the story of one of the first Kings of Scotland. Val McDermid tells her version of Macbeth and Gruoch’s story in her latest novel, “Queen Macbeth.”
Women rulers in the past have either been praised or pushed down. They are either seen as ideal women or power-hungry villains. One such figure who suffered the worst from having her image raked through the mud for centuries was Mary Stuart, known throughout history as Mary, Queen of Scots. The Queen of Scotland who was married three times, was once the Queen of France, the mother of the future King of both England and Scotland, accused of having a hand in her second husband’s murder, plotted to overthrow Elizabeth I, and was executed for treason. Her story is well known, but what does the archival information tell us about Mary Stuart? John Guy scoured the archives to find the truth about this queen and presented his research in his biography, “Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart.”
Like many other countries, England has been through growing pains when it comes to reforming its political, military, and judicial systems. None more so than the pains of the medieval period, specifically from 1199 to 1399. In those two centuries, there were six Plantagenet kings, each with a different style of being king and a different way of changing England with each reign. We often think that the biggest change to England’s political history during this time was the Magna Carta, but in fact, that was only just the beginning. Caroline Burt and Richard Partington have combed the archives to do a deep dive into each reign of these Plantagenet kings, examining the political and judicial changes that happened in a short period. Their comprehensive book is entitled, “Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State.”
In 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.”
Today, I am pleased to welcome J R Tomlin to my blog to share a guest post as part of the blog tour for her latest novel, “
Blurb:
Amazon CA: 
Have you ever read a history book or watched a historical drama and dreamed of going back in time to know what the past was like? Since time travel is still something from science fiction, we can only experience history through one sense at a time. There are tons of historical costume designers, musicians who specialize in tunes from the past, dedicated caretakers who work hard to preserve homes from the past, and cooks who want to experience what past delicacies tasted like and understand the diets from centuries long ago. The cooks get a general idea of what kitchens might have smelled like, but what about the average history nerds who want to understand what pleasant scents the past might include? How can a casual history nerd experience a sensory journey from the past? 
Sweet Cacao
Secret Archives
My Dearest Friend
Bowes-Lyon
The year is 1346, and numerous English ships have landed on the shores of France. King Edward III, his son Edward of Woodstock, and his lords launched the first stage of what would be known as the Hundred Years’ War. Amongst the English royalty, nobility, and regular soldiers, are companies of men who came of their own accord for money and glory. One company of men consists of ten men known as the Essex Dogs, led by Loveday FitzTalbot. They are not like the other groups. They do not fight for money or glory; they fight for each other. In the horrors of war in a foreign land, can the Essex Dogs keep their promise and stay alive? Dan Jones introduces the world to these ten men and the early stage of the Hundred Years’ War in his first historical fiction novel, “Essex Dogs.”
Adventures of a Tudor Nerd 