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Loading... Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World (original 2013; edition 2013)by Alison Weir (Author)
Work InformationElizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World by Alison Weir (2013) Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I gave up, far too much detail and guess work. ( ) This is an exhaustively well researched biography of Elizabeth of York, eldest daughter of the Yorkist King Edward IV, who in marrying the Lancastrian King Henry VII, united the rival houses in the Wars of the Roses and founded a new dynasty, the Tudors. Elizabeth emerges as a sympathetic and empathetic character, though not without guile when needed, particularly in picking her steps carefully when Richard III was king. Within the constraints of the Medieval queen's position, she managed to exert considerable influence for the good. Multiple pregnancies weakened her system, as happened to so many women at all levels of English society before the advent of modern medicine. After the tragic death of the heir prince Arthur in 1502 at the age of 15, only prince Henry was left as heir, a precarious position with the Tudor dynasty depending on one 10 year old boy's life. So she got pregnant again, though her previous pregnancy had made her dangerously ill - and this one, her seventh, cost her life on her 37th birthday, and that of the daughter she gave birth to. The emotional impact of her passing probably hastened King Henry's own demise six years later, as the evidence suggests they were an unusually devoted and loving couple by the standards of Medieval royalty. The author concludes that "Elizabeth is often unfairly overshadowed by her successors, the wives of Henry VIII, but she was more successful as queen than any of them. For this, and for her integrity, her sweet, good nature, and her many kindnesses, her memory deserves to be celebrated." The only issue I had with this book was that the author's exhaustive research meant that some sections were little more than long lists of jewels and clothes, or gifts given to relatives, or to the poor or religious institutions. Of necessity, much of the main narrative covers the events of the later Wars of the Roses, the controversies of Richard III's rule, and the early Tudor period, though the author skilfully tries to trace what we know, or can reasonably surmise, of Elizabeth's role in the events of one of the most significant half centuries or so in English history. a well-written account of Elizabeth of York, the tudor queen, and the people around her. For fans of The White Queen, the book carefully examines the legends and myths surrounding her, her mother Elizabeth Woodville, and the two princes in the Tower. It also clarifies - as much as possible - the intricate relationships amoung the people and the factions in the war of the roses. 3.25 stars Elizabeth of York was Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydeville’s daughter. During the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, they were Yorkists. Elizabeth married Henry VII, who was a Lancaster, thus bringing the two sides together. Between them, they began the Tudor era, and Henry VIII was their son. This is meant to be a biography of Elizabeth. I only say it’s “meant to be” a biography because, as with so many women of the time (including queens), there is just so little information about them. So, really, I feel like it’s more of a history of what happened around her during her life, often with musings as to what Elizabeth may have been doing or feeling at certain times or about certain things. It’s a long book, over 500 pages, and nonfiction, which does tend to go slower for me. There’s a lot of information, much of it I didn’t know (I think this is the first book I’ve read specifically focusing on Elizabeth), and even though I found much of it interesting, there are still dry parts. It's hard to give a book like this a low rating. It's full to the brim with information on Elizabeth of York and the men in her life. It's clear that so much research went into this, and I can't imagine undertaking such a large project myself. Weir did an excellent job with this, but my only qualm is that it's so long. It seemes like I would never finish it, and I felt myself glossing over some parts (such as when she described the earnings of Elizabeth's retainers and servants). Overall, a job well done and a good resource for those interested in English history. no reviews | add a review
Biography & Autobiography.
History.
Nonfiction.
HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ? Bestselling historian Alison Weir tells the poignant, suspenseful and sometimes tragic story of Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Yorkist King Edward IV and sister of the Princes in the Tower, a woman whose life was inextricably caught up in the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses and the establishment of the usurping Tudor dynasty. She was the wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII. Many are familiar with the story of the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry??s mother and Elizabeth??s grandmother, spanned one of England??s most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman, whose very existence united the realm and ensured the survival of the Plantagenet bloodline. Her birth was greeted with as much pomp and ceremony as that of a male heir. The first child of King Edward IV, Elizabeth enjoyed all the glittering trappings of royalty. But after the death of her father; the disappearance and probable murder of her brothers??the Princes in the Tower; and the usurpation of the throne by her calculating uncle Richard III, Elizabeth found her world turned upside-down: She and her siblings were declared bastards. As Richard??s wife, Anne Neville, was dying, there were murmurs that the king sought to marry his niece Elizabeth, knowing that most people believed her to be England??s rightful queen. Weir addresses Elizabeth??s possible role in this and her covert support for Henry Tudor, the exiled pretender who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII, first sovereign of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth??s subsequent marriage to Henry united the houses of York and Lancaster and signaled the end of the Wars of the Roses. For centuries historians have asserted that, as queen, she was kept under Henry??s firm grasp, but Weir shows that Elizabeth proved to be a model consort??pious and generous??who enjoyed the confidence of her husband, exerted a tangible and beneficial influence, and was revered by her son, the future King Henry VIII. Drawing from a rich trove of historical records, Weir gives a long overdue and much-deserved look at this unforgettable princess whose line descends to today??s British monarch??a woman who overcame tragedy and danger to become one of England??s most beloved consorts. Praise for Elizabeth of York ??Weir tells Elizabeth??s story well. . . . She is a meticulous scholar. . . . Most important, Weir sincerely admires her subject, doing honor to an almost forgotten queen.???The New York Times Book Review ??In [Alison] Weir??s skillful hands, Elizabeth of York returns to us, full-bodied and three-dimensional. This is a must-read for Tudor fans!???Historical Novels Review ??This bracing biography reveals a woman of integrity, who . . . helped [her husband] lay strong groundwork for the success of the new Tudor dynasty. As always in a Weir book, the tenor of the times is drawn with great color and authenticity.???Booklist ??Weir once again demonstrates that she is an outstanding portrayer of the Tudor era, giving us a No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)942.05History and Geography Europe England and Wales England 1485-1603, TudorsLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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