The
Tudor Queens of England by David Loades
From Elizabeth of York — wife of Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch — through to Elizabeth I, her grand-daughter and the last in the line, this book explores some of the most colourful and dramatic women in British history. Queen consorts were central to the Royal Court but their role has rarely been examined or contrasted with the better known ruling queens. How did they behave (in and out of the bedchamber)? How powerful were they as patrons of learning and the arts? What religious views did they espouse and why? How successful and influential were they?
From Elizabeth of York — wife of Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch — through to Elizabeth I, her grand-daughter and the last in the line, this book explores some of the most colourful and dramatic women in British history. Queen consorts were central to the Royal Court but their role has rarely been examined or contrasted with the better known ruling queens. How did they behave (in and out of the bedchamber)? How powerful were they as patrons of learning and the arts? What religious views did they espouse and why? How successful and influential were they?
David Loades’ book is a fascinating look at fourteen
women from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries who one way or another played
a role in the British Monarchy. The book looks at famous women of the period such
as Catherine de Valois, Margaret of Anjoy, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn,
Mary I and Elizabeth I as well as many others.
I was quite fascinated with Loades’ book as although
I have read quite a lot about the wives of Henry VIII I have read very little
about the women whom came before Henry VIII. Through Loades’ book I was introduced
to such interesting and captivating women such as Catherine de Valois, a Queen
Dowager who dared to marry beneath her status and through her generations of
Tudor monarchs stated their claimed to the throne. And women such as Margaret
of Anjou who fought, right or wrong, what she believed to be the rights of her
son and heir to the English throne.
It was fascinating to look at such strong and
determined women who in one way or another followed their hearts and did what
they thought to be best for themselves and their children. Often when one
reflects upon Queen Consorts of the medieval and renaissance period one thinks
of meek and demure women; women who know their role and their place by their
husbands side. Women who do not speak out and take what is given to them, often
turning a blind eye to their husband’s affairs. But this is just one image of
the Queen Consort. Another is of determination, strength and love, the will to
fight for what they belied in and to follow their heart. Never more was this so
evident in the life of Anne Boleyn, a woman of noble birth, a lady in waiting
to the Queen, who would rise to take the crown for herself. Loades does a
wonderful job of giving a brief outline of the lives of these interesting and
determined women and giving a brief look at why each woman made the actions and
decisions they did.
Loades also looks at women such as Elizabeth of York
and Jane Seymour, Queens who followed the more traditional role of Queen
Consort. Women who sadly there is not a great deal known about their lives but
are just as fascinating.
Unfortunately, once again, Loades makes several
mistakes with the dates that he gives within the book. For example he states
that Mary Boleyn was married to William Carey in 1521. This date is incorrect
as records from the time tell us that Mary Boleyn and William Carey were in
fact married on the 4th February 1520. Loades also states that Anne
Boleyn was beheaded upon Tower Hill on 18th Mary 1536. Once again
this is incorrect and we know that Anne Boleyn was beheaded at around 8 – 9am
on the morning of May 19th on a scaffold within the walls of the
Tower of London. I do find these misgiven dates rather frustrating as dates such
as Anne Boleyn’s execution are well known and well written about by other
historians and more so stated in primary sources. Why Loades got these dates
incorrect and continues to get important dates incorrect does baffle me.
Despite the incorrect dates I did find this book
extremely interesting. Through reading Loades’ book I was able to gain an
insight into the lives of women that I had previously not read about such as
Catherine de Valois and Margaret of Anjou. Although only one chapter was
dedicated to each of these women, I felt Loades did a wonderful job of
summarising their lives, giving the important details and events and painting a
picture of the types of women they were. From this I feel the reader then has
the opportunity to explore and research further into the lives of these women,
or any of the other women mentioned within the book.
Certainly I would recommend this book to anyone who
is interested in Tudor history and more so to anyone who is interested in
strong and fascinating women who played a part in English history.
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