The Six Wives of Henry VIII
by Alison Weir
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The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for show more vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time. show lessTags
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The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a show more warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time. show less
This book is a good treatise on all that can go wrong with a monarchy that depends on a male heir for survival, why no one should have absolute power, and why you should just let people get divorced. Sheesh. What a crazy time in history. It's no wonder we're all so fascinated by the Tudor period—there's drama galore.
My personal study of England has been a sort of patchy, interest-driven excursion; focusing mainly on the lives of well-known authors and their haunts. One era of British history I'd never read about until now is the Tudor period. I'll admit---it was mainly for fear of mixing up the various Marys, Katherines, Annes, and Henrys. It seemed an intimidating task.
When I was given a large box of Tudor reads, I decided this book was the best one to begin with and I was pleasantly surprised at how readable it is. The author makes few assumptions about her readers' prior Tudor knowledge and I came away feeling like I had a good grasp on Henry VIII's life and wives.
I started out with a very bad opinion of Henry VIII. I'd always heard he was a show more terrible tyrant. Reading about his early life, I began sympathizing with him as it seemed he really desired to be a good king. About the time he messed around on his first wife though, I started to dislike him and by the time Anne Boleyn came along, I seriously loathed him! So many times he was such a hypocritical and immature man.
I had varying feelings about his wives. I greatly admired Katherine of Aragon's loyalty to her husband and to her marriage vows. I did feel pity for the king concerning Katherine Howard, though he really was getting to see the other side of things for the women he'd cast off so carelessly.
By laying out the facts in an unbiased way, Weir allows the reader to form her own conclusions. With all the horrible, tyrannical things Henry VIII sanctioned, I still came away sad and sympathetic at his end. I'm glad he acknowledged Christ before he died. show less
When I was given a large box of Tudor reads, I decided this book was the best one to begin with and I was pleasantly surprised at how readable it is. The author makes few assumptions about her readers' prior Tudor knowledge and I came away feeling like I had a good grasp on Henry VIII's life and wives.
I started out with a very bad opinion of Henry VIII. I'd always heard he was a show more terrible tyrant. Reading about his early life, I began sympathizing with him as it seemed he really desired to be a good king. About the time he messed around on his first wife though, I started to dislike him and by the time Anne Boleyn came along, I seriously loathed him! So many times he was such a hypocritical and immature man.
I had varying feelings about his wives. I greatly admired Katherine of Aragon's loyalty to her husband and to her marriage vows. I did feel pity for the king concerning Katherine Howard, though he really was getting to see the other side of things for the women he'd cast off so carelessly.
By laying out the facts in an unbiased way, Weir allows the reader to form her own conclusions. With all the horrible, tyrannical things Henry VIII sanctioned, I still came away sad and sympathetic at his end. I'm glad he acknowledged Christ before he died. show less
If I could create a genre for this book, it would be "intense history" or "serious history." This was a politically intense and emotionally nerve-wracking time to live in for any woman. The lifespan of a woman in this time is said to be around thirty years of age. The lifespan of a woman as wife of Henry VIII rested on her attitude as Queen and wife and how well he thought of her. While I don't advocate for divorce, I will accept it over a beheading any day!
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
This was how I remembered what happened to each Queen growing up.
Alison Weir did her research thoroughly in the making of this book. If there are any gaps, she acknowledges it. Sometimes papers are missing or its location may not show more be known. She did mention a fire which may account for other missing evidence that would have answered questions about Henry and his wives. It's long and intense, but it's well done.
However, it's not something I would want to re-read over and over again, which is why I gave it three stars. show less
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived.
This was how I remembered what happened to each Queen growing up.
Alison Weir did her research thoroughly in the making of this book. If there are any gaps, she acknowledges it. Sometimes papers are missing or its location may not show more be known. She did mention a fire which may account for other missing evidence that would have answered questions about Henry and his wives. It's long and intense, but it's well done.
However, it's not something I would want to re-read over and over again, which is why I gave it three stars. show less
This exhaustive effort by the author does not prove an exhausting experience for the reader. Not for this one, anyway. Rather, this heavy tome is engaging and informative, filled with details of the lives and deaths of Henry VIII's six queen consorts.
It may seem to many that Catherine Parr, the sixth wife, was the most fortunate of these queens; however, after reading this book it becomes clear that wife number four, Anne of Cleves, had the best life of them all.
It's also interesting to trace how the legendary Tudor monarch developed from a much-beloved sovereign to one of the most feared tyrants in English history.
In short, this is a brilliantly researched book written by a great author.
It may seem to many that Catherine Parr, the sixth wife, was the most fortunate of these queens; however, after reading this book it becomes clear that wife number four, Anne of Cleves, had the best life of them all.
It's also interesting to trace how the legendary Tudor monarch developed from a much-beloved sovereign to one of the most feared tyrants in English history.
In short, this is a brilliantly researched book written by a great author.
While this book started out fairly dry, I quickly got drawn into the story. I love the fact that the author put so much effort into giving an un-biased account of these six women even though it was clear from the beginning that she has very strong opinions regarding them.
I was surprised to find myself rethinking everything I knew about Tudor history after the chapter on Anne Boleyn, I've always seen her as a sort of tragic heroine, manipulated by her family and by political schemers. This book helped me see her as she was, neither an innocent victim nor an evil witch of a woman.
I had never read very much about Anne of Cleves as she'd always struck me as rather dull. I quickly found a well of admiration for this strong woman and realized show more that as a step-mother I can relate quite well with her choices and motivations.
This book is so well written (despite the dry beginning) that by the time you finish, you'll feel like you've met these women personally. show less
I was surprised to find myself rethinking everything I knew about Tudor history after the chapter on Anne Boleyn, I've always seen her as a sort of tragic heroine, manipulated by her family and by political schemers. This book helped me see her as she was, neither an innocent victim nor an evil witch of a woman.
I had never read very much about Anne of Cleves as she'd always struck me as rather dull. I quickly found a well of admiration for this strong woman and realized show more that as a step-mother I can relate quite well with her choices and motivations.
This book is so well written (despite the dry beginning) that by the time you finish, you'll feel like you've met these women personally. show less
There have been several individual biographies written of the six wives of Henry VIII. Here, Alison Weir has pulled all of their stories together, and has created a biography of all six women, and their marriages to King Henry. The events are told in chronological detail, which is a great help, as the timeline for his marriages can sometimes seem confusing!
Alison Weir writes so fluidly and eloquently that despite the huge amount of facts crammed into this story – dates, names, places – it never gets boring. All the details are here, but the book never feels bogged down in them. Indeed, it is such an engaging story that it sometimes reads almost like a novel. As well as the six very different women who he married, the book also gives show more huge insight into Henry’s reign, and offers a more realistic portrayal of the man, rather than the gluttonous lech that he is often portrayed as. As cold hearted a man as Henry VIII could undoubtedly be, it is worth remembering the times in which he lived, when such things that seem abominable to us today, were viewed as quite normal. It is also clear that he could be a very generous and charismatic man, and that certainly, he loved his country and took his role as head of that country very seriously.
The author gives a balanced view of all the wives, as well as Henry himself, and indeed, his children. I felt that I really got to know the characters, and the distinct personality of each wife was clearly described. The book has clearly been extensively and exhaustively researched, with sources listed clearly at the back of the book.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this remarkably well written and descriptive biography. show less
Alison Weir writes so fluidly and eloquently that despite the huge amount of facts crammed into this story – dates, names, places – it never gets boring. All the details are here, but the book never feels bogged down in them. Indeed, it is such an engaging story that it sometimes reads almost like a novel. As well as the six very different women who he married, the book also gives show more huge insight into Henry’s reign, and offers a more realistic portrayal of the man, rather than the gluttonous lech that he is often portrayed as. As cold hearted a man as Henry VIII could undoubtedly be, it is worth remembering the times in which he lived, when such things that seem abominable to us today, were viewed as quite normal. It is also clear that he could be a very generous and charismatic man, and that certainly, he loved his country and took his role as head of that country very seriously.
The author gives a balanced view of all the wives, as well as Henry himself, and indeed, his children. I felt that I really got to know the characters, and the distinct personality of each wife was clearly described. The book has clearly been extensively and exhaustively researched, with sources listed clearly at the back of the book.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this remarkably well written and descriptive biography. show less
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Author Information
75+ Works 37,471 Members
Alison Weir was born in London, England on July 8, 1951. She received training to be a teacher with a concentration in history from the North Western Polytechnic. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a civil servant and ran her own school for children with learning difficulties from 1991 to 1997. Her first book, Britain's Royal show more Families, was published in 1989. Her other books include The Six Wives of Henry VIII; Children of England; Eleanor of Aquitaine; Henry VIII: King and Court; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Isabella. Her first novel, Innocent Traitor, was published in 2006. Her other novels include The Lady Elizabeth, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, The Captive Queen, A Dangerous Inheritance, and Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII
- Original publication date
- 1991
- People/Characters
- Henry VIII, King of England; Catherine of Aragon; Anne Boleyn; Jane Seymour, Queen Consort of Henry VIII of England; Anne of Cleves; Katherine Howard (show all 27); Katherine Parr; Thomas Wolsey; Mary I, Queen of England; Elizabeth I, Queen of England; Edward VI, King of England; Eustace Chapuys; Reginald Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury; Jane Boleyn; Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and 1st Earl of Ormond, 1st Viscount Rochford; George Boleyn; Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor; Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex; Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk; Mary Tudor, Queen of France; François I, King of France; Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk; Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury; Thomas Culpepper; Ferdinand II of Aragon; Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland; Thomas Seymour
- Important places
- England, UK; Aragon, Spain; Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, London, England, UK; Greenwich Palace, London, England, UK; Tower of London, London, England, UK; Whitehall Palace, London, England, UK (show all 7); Hever Castle, Kent, England, UK
- Important events
- Tudor Era (1485 | 1603); Reign of Henry VIII (1509-04-21 | 1547-01-28); Death of Catherine of Aragon (1536-01-07); Execution of Anne Boleyn (1536-05-17)
- Dedication
- This book is dedicated to my parents, Doreen and James Cullen, my mother-in-law, Margaret Weir, and in loving memory of William Blackwood Weir
- First words
- The reign of Henry VIII is one of the most fascinating in English history.
- Quotations*
- Henry VIII's marital affairs brought the royal marriage into public focus for the first time in our history.
Henry VIII's wives would all have learned very early in life that, as women, they had very little personal freedom.
Infidelity in a wife was not tolerated, but for queens Henry VIII made it a treasonable offence punishable by death, because it threatened the succession.
What was really required of a queen was that she produce heirs for the succession and set a high moral standard for court and kingdom by being a model of wifely dignity and virtue.
Queens walked slowly, danced slowly, and moved with regal bearing, not just because they were born to it, but because their clothes constrained them to it.
A woman who bore ten children could expect to see less than half grow to full maturity if she were lucky. Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn had ten pregnancies between them: two children survived.
In an age of arranged marriages, a wife could not expect her husband to be faithful. Marriages were business arrangements, pleasure could be found elsewhere. Adultery in men was common, and Henry VIII is known to have strayed... (show all) frequently during his first two marraiges.
Marriage, however, was as far removed from courtly love as night from day. - Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)It was an apt and well-deserved tribute.
- Original language
- English UK
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- History, General Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
- DDC/MDS
- 942.0520922 — History & geography History of Europe England and Wales England 1485-1603, Tudors Henry VIII 1509-47
- LCC
- DA333 .A2 .W45 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Great Britain History of Great Britain England History By period Modern, 1485- Tudors, 1485-1603
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 3,569
- Popularity
- 4,555
- Reviews
- 64
- Rating
- (4.13)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 18
- ASINs
- 10