The Children of Henry VIII

Sep 23, 2008

Andrew rated it

Recommends it for: People who liked Weir's The Six Wives

Recommended to Andrew by: Lindsay

Shelves: history

Best place name: Fotheringhay
Best adjective: bedecked
Best phantom pregnancy: Mary's first
Most unwelcome death: Jane Grey's
Most welcome deaths: Tie between John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland's and Queen Mary's
Biggest asshole of a Pope: Pope Paul III
Most unfit parents: Henry Grey and Frances Brandon (Duke & Duchess of Suffolk and Jane Grey's parents)
Most scantily mentioned former queen: Anne of Cleves
Best hunchback: Mary Grey

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Jan 17, 2012

GoldGato rated it

Shelves: history, summer, royalty

Alison Weir always delivers, and it's a pleasure to have one of her books in my greedy-for-more-history hands. Here, she focuses on Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI, the Tudor Children. She paints the picture of papa Henry and how his lust for power, and women, led him to be father to three different children from three different mothers.

There is even a biographical portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the unfortunate girl caught between avaricious parents and power-hungry opponents. Believ...more

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Jul 08, 2010

Erik rated it

Fresh off her earlier work, Henry VIII, I dove headfirst into this follow-up that recounts the tumultuous period between the great monarch’s death and the ascension of his second daughter, Elizabeth. The title, as many have observed, is a tad misleading as only three out of the four monarchs featured were actually children of the late Henry; the teenage Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for a mere three months after the death of the equally young Edward VI and before being deposed by Mary and her alli...moreFresh off her earlier work, Henry VIII, I dove headfirst into this follow-up that recounts the tumultuous period between the great monarch’s death and the ascension of his second daughter, Elizabeth. The title, as many have observed, is a tad misleading as only three out of the four monarchs featured were actually children of the late Henry; the teenage Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for a mere three months after the death of the equally young Edward VI and before being deposed by Mary and her allies, being technically his grand-niece. Despite this slight error, The Children of Henry VIII is a work of remarkable scholarship that shed light on a period of Tudor history that is often fast-forwarded over in popular scholarship, if not the popular imagination through the cinematic and television mediums.

One interesting theory that Weir plays with is in regards to Elizabeth’s refusal to marry, which has long been a juicy gossip and rumor-mill by both professional and lay historians alike.

"…with the executions of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard and Thomas Seymour in mind, she had come to equate marriage with death. This did not affect her desire to flirt and court male interest, but it prevented her from ever making the final commitment in any emotional relationship."

Of course, it is just as likely that Elizabeth’s aversion to marriage stemmed from the very real fear that if she married a Continental monarch, she would be putting the control of her realm and her English subjects under potential foreign dominion in the event of her death. Combine that with the unsuitability of marrying any of her supposed lovers – Robert Dudley and Walter Raleigh, to name but a few – and it is easy to imagine just how hard it was being in her position. Then again, there are those who speculate that she was barren, or even that she chose to proclaim her status as a Virgin Queen in order to appease and persuade Catholics to her accept her Protestant reign. Whatever the reason(s), Elizabeth’s reign is the more remarkable for ushering in the Golden Age.

Before Elizabeth, Mary was the second woman to reign from the English throne. (The first being the Empress Matilda, who reigned during a turbulent time in the twelfth century.) And for this very reason, many were wary of a woman holding the reigns of power – which was best expressed by Mary of Hungary when she remarked to Emperor Charles V, “A woman is never feared or respected as a man is, whatever the rank. In time of war it is entirely impossible for a woman to govern satisfactorily. All she can do is should responsibility for mistakes committed by others.” Of course, Elizabeth’s long and remarkable reign proved them completely wrong on all counts.

Sandwiched between the reigns of the commanding personalities and the politically and socially astute minds of Henry VIII and his second daughter, Elizabeth, the short-lived reigns of Edward VI, Jane, and Mary are often overlooked as a result of their political naïveté and lack of genuine leadership skills – the first two being mere pawns of more powerful forces in the end. But it is precisely because of these short-comings of these ill-fated monarchs that reading about them becomes absolutely absorbing and fascinating.
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Apr 27, 2010

Leeanna rated it

The Children of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir

"The Children of Henry VIII" is a nonfiction history that reads like a narrative. One interesting, engrossing, detail-filled narrative. The book follows the ascent of Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, and Elizabeth I to the English throne. Also covered are the men around the throne, such as John Dudley, Thomas Cranmer, Edward Courtenay, Philip II, etc.

The basic story is known by many, especially fans of the Tudor period...more

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Feb 11, 2010

Steven Peterson rated it

The title of this book is a bit misleading. While Weir does her usual fine job of elucidating characters and their times, calling this "The Children of Henry VIII" is a bit misleading, since Lady Jane Grey's nine day reign is included. Her story as a child until her brief reign is also told. This makes a great deal of sense historically, since she was labeled sovereign by some lords upon the death of Edward VI and before Mary's supporters drove Grey's "handlers" from power.
...moreThe title of this book is a bit misleading. While Weir does her usual fine job of elucidating characters and their times, calling this "The Children of Henry VIII" is a bit misleading, since Lady Jane Grey's nine day reign is included. Her story as a child until her brief reign is also told. This makes a great deal of sense historically, since she was labeled sovereign by some lords upon the death of Edward VI and before Mary's supporters drove Grey's "handlers" from power.

The book does a nice job of outlining the personalities, experiences, and beliefs of Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, the children of Henry VIII as well as Lady Jane Grey, also of royal blood. Edward's reign after his father's death was brief, with his death from tuberculosis in his middle teens. Weir outlines his personality and his positions on issues of the day. He never ruled as full sovereign because of his age, but many thought him promising material. He was strongly supportive of a more radical religious stance, moving further from the Catholic Church. The story of efforts by his Council members to manipulate him and compete with one another for influence through him is well told. When his health began deteriorating, with Mary the heir to the throne, some of the nobles realized that they could be in serious trouble, given her know adherence to Catholicism and to her anger at her poor treatment by some of those nobles.

Hence, the coup that placed Grey on the throne, even if only for a short while. It was an effort surely doomed to fail. When troops flocked to Mary to support her claim on the throne, the conspirators were defeated. The sad ending of Jane's life is spelled out. Mary did not want her death, but she served as a symbol for those who did not want the return of the Catholic religion. Thus, she was disposed of as an effort to defuse unrest.

Far more troublesome, as discussed here, was the prickly relationship between the sisters--Mary and Elizabeth. The latter ended up in the Tower of London for awhile, sometimes sure that she was to experience her mother's fate (Anne Boleyn was her mother). Mary's marriage to Philip of Spain and her inability to produce an heir; her efforts to return England to Catholicism and the ensuing burnings at the stake for heresy (she was later referred to as “Bloody Mary”).

And, with her death, the book ends with Elizabeth learning that she was now Queen.

This is a standard Alison Weir work, which for me means a well written story, with plenty of details of the main focal characters and the contexts in which they found themselves. There is a nice genealogical table at the end, to see how Jane was related to Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. Another good product from Weir's pen.
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Aug 25, 2011

Sharon rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, history

I picked this book up to "soothe" my sadness that the Showtime cable series, "The Tudors" was officially over. WOW! Gotta love it when a history book reads like a novel, which this one does!

Allison Weir does a masterful job of presenting 4 very different people to us: Edward VI, Henry VIII's only legitimate son who takes the crown at the tender age of 9, and who by no means is a "sickly youth" as is often described, but a mirror copy of young Henry, with...moreI picked this book up to "soothe" my sadness that the Showtime cable series, "The Tudors" was officially over. WOW! Gotta love it when a history book reads like a novel, which this one does!

Allison Weir does a masterful job of presenting 4 very different people to us: Edward VI, Henry VIII's only legitimate son who takes the crown at the tender age of 9, and who by no means is a "sickly youth" as is often described, but a mirror copy of young Henry, with extremely rigid Protestant leanings. His oldest sister Mary, a girl who spends a bulk of her childhood and adolescence longing for her father's love, and desperately trying to hold onto the principles passed on by her mother, especially that of her rigid Roman Catholic faith. Elizabeth, the middle child, who is anything but typical; it is she who will bring prosperity to England, who will truly define the Church of England, and who will go down in history as one of, if not the, greatest monarchs in British history...but until all this comes to pass, she must wrestle with her own destructive demons. And finally, poor Lady Jane Grey, not an actual child of Henry's, but a child of his realm, who becomes a chess piece in her father-in-law's scheme to take the throne and keep Mary off of it...and who unjustly suffers because of it. It sounds so outrageous, one who doesn't know any better would think it's a soap opera, not genuine history! But that's what makes it all the more juicy, that it truly is historical fact...

I knew bits and pieces about all these post Henry VIII monarchs, but there were details that even I couldn't have imagined. What was most astonishing were the stories of Mary and Elizabeth's childhoods, and how too many times they either came close, or were actual victims of sexual abuse and scandal. There is more to Lady Jane Grey than her 9 day reign, and certainly a great deal more to Edward than the simple fact that he ruled...and died far too young.

This is a *must* if you are a fan of Tudor Britain, or simply a fan of history. And if you're worried about reading a history book because you're afraid it will be stuffy and dry and boring...you will not find that here. This is the first book I have read by Weir, and I will certainly be looking for more! (less)

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Jun 18, 2010

Erica rated it

I read this book right after I finished “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”, and was not disappointed. This book picks up right where the other one leaves off and is another example of a historical biography that reads like a novel. The court intrigue and tangle of personal relationships continues in the children’s reigns just as during that of their father (or great uncle in the case of Lady Jane Grey). I was more familiar with Mary I and Elizabeth I, and it was interesting to learn of the events ...more

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Apr 10, 2011

Margaret rated it

I've read very little in the way of history books - I honestly cannot say when I last read a book of history before this one, so bear that in mind.

I found this book extremely readable in many, many ways. Weir does a very good job of moving things along at a pace that keeps the reader from feeling bogged down, and in such a way as I also did not end up feeling like things were rushed through in the book. It was quite interesting to see how much of a particular individual's personality W...more

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Jul 23, 2009

Jennifer rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone who is looking for a detailed read about the Tudors

Recommended to Jennifer by: Mom

Shelves: 2009, tudors, non-fiction, england, alison-weir, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm copying this from other posts I made on the Tudor group but thought I'd share here, as well.

July 15/09
"I'm really enjoying learning more about Jane in The Children of England, also by AW. Thought I'd share a little for anyone who, like me, doesn't know much about her.

The first part of the book takes place directly after the death of Henry VIII and goes into a lot of detail regarding Jane's feelings toward her parents and her preference to learning above a...moreI'm copying this from other posts I made on the Tudor group but thought I'd share here, as well.

July 15/09
"I'm really enjoying learning more about Jane in The Children of England, also by AW. Thought I'd share a little for anyone who, like me, doesn't know much about her.

The first part of the book takes place directly after the death of Henry VIII and goes into a lot of detail regarding Jane's feelings toward her parents and her preference to learning above all else, as learning was the only thing she could do safely, without fear of punishment. It also speaks of her betrothal to Lord Hertford being broken in favor of her parents' desire for higher position, as well as to fit the Duke of Northumberland's schemes to raise his family's stature by marry his own son, Guilford Dudley (younger brother of Robert) to Jane. AW states that Jane would have preferred to never marry at all but accepted that marriage was a part of her role as an one in line to inherit the throne. She did, however, 'hate the Dudleys' and refused to marry Guilford on the grounds of her previous betrothal. Her parents finally won that argument when they flogged Jane into submission. When reading about Jane, you can't help but feel for the sweet girl who would have preferred to sit with a book than sit on a throne. She was incredibly Protestant and very intelligent. It would have been interesting to see what sort of Queen she would have made or what sort of life she would have lived had she been able to follow through on either of these paths.

The second part of the book focuses on Jane and Mary after the death of Edward VI. I'll be reading that in about 10 pages or so. I'll write more when I learn it. I highly recommend reading the book :)

July 17, 2009

From what I've just finished reading, Edward's Lord Protector at the time of this death was the Duke of Northumberland, who was Robert Dudley's father. He overthrew Edward's uncle, Lord Somerset (Edward Seymour - Jane Seymour's brother) and took total control of the ruling. Northumberland convinced Edward to change the line of succession set forth in Henry VIII's will to skip over Mary, Elizabeth and Frances Brandon (Henry's niece by his sister Mary), which was illegal and traitorous to defy. However, Northumberland had so much power that the other advisors felt that they could not go against him for fear of their lives.

The doctors all deemed that nothing could be done for Edward, who was incredibly sick at the end. He was coughing up blood, he had boils, ulcers and bedsores (to name a few) and could barely get out of bed, write letters or even speak.

Northumberland was not yet prepared to let him die. He needed more time to set affairs into order in a way that would benefit him (by getting Jane on the throne, who was married to his youngest son, Guilford Dudley). Northumberland hired what AW calls a female 'quack' - a woman who fed aresenic to Edward, which apparently prolonged his life though to great suffering on Edward's part.

When the new line of succession was agreed upon (unwillingly) and sworn to by all advisors in front of Edward himself, Northumberland no longer had a need to keep him alive and got rid of the 'quack', ending the poisoning. Interestingly, this woman was never seen or heard from again and some think that she was murdered. I have no doubt that Northumberland would not be above getting rid of a woman who helped him to poison a King!

Anyway, Edward, pre-illness, was really trying to participate and "do" more by way of ruling. He attempted to emmulate his father in all ways. If you look at pictures of him, he even stands like Henry did, feet apart and hands on hips. He wasn't as athletic as Henry but enjoyed watching sport and loves the masques, etc. When his uncle was Lord Protector he did not let Edward take part in many decisions. This led Edward to hate his uncle.

Northumberland was smart even to realize that he needed to at least make Edward believe that decisions were his to make but was also smart enough to know how to make Edward's decisions mirror his own.

July 22/09
Mary, for all of her good qualities, of which she apparently possessed many, was a brutal queen, relentless in her persecution of the Protestant heretics. She was very much a maternal figure. She acted as mother to Elizabeth at a young age and wanted nothing more than to be a mother and provide a son for Phillip and for England. Obviously, this was not destined to happen. Mary was older when she married Phillip and probably in the beginning stages of menopause. She probably suffered from what is known as a phantom pregnancy; wanting so badly to be pregnant that she convinced herself and her body that she was.

The worst part of this section of the book was reading about the burnings. So many men and women died as a result of heresy. During Mary's 'pregnancy', she convinced herself that in order to safely deliver a child, she must first rid England of all the heretics and she increased the persecution at this time. One woman was burned when she was 8 months pregnant. While burning, she delivered the baby. The executioner picked up the baby and threw it back in the fire! I can't imagine what it must have been like to have lived during a time like this, always in fear of your life and the lives of your friends and family.
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Feb 09, 2011

Claire rated it

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Shelves: history, non-fiction

One of Alison Weir's most popular books does not disappoint. Its material flies off the pages and makes you really think about what happened between Henry VIII's death and Elizabeth I's succession. I thought that I would already know a lot of what was in this book, having read a multitude of other books on this period, but I was very, very wrong.

Firstly is Edward VI's succession. A man hailed as 'the next King Solomon' - as such a young boy when he came to the throne (9 years old) he ...moreOne of Alison Weir's most popular books does not disappoint. Its material flies off the pages and makes you really think about what happened between Henry VIII's death and Elizabeth I's succession. I thought that I would already know a lot of what was in this book, having read a multitude of other books on this period, but I was very, very wrong.

Firstly is Edward VI's succession. A man hailed as 'the next King Solomon' - as such a young boy when he came to the throne (9 years old) he was manipulated and pushed by his advisors to agree to everything they ever wanted. Consequently, he rarely made any of his own decisions. But he pushed England to such a fervour of Protestantism, he was prepared to write his own sister out of the succession. Putting Lady Jane Grey in her place.

Jane Grey, also manipulated and incredibly ill-treated by her parents, was forced to take the crown, but she was not forced to die. After Mary took the throne, she did not want to kill her cousin, and gave her many chances to take up the Catholic faith, but Jane was a fierce protestant, and, you could say she had a hand in signing her own death warrant. She wanted martyrdom, or at least she would not be persuaded to follow Catholocism.

Queen Mary's reign started with happiness and support from her people, but such misery and horrific atrocities were performed during her reign, (300 people burned at the stake within 4 years) that when she died, the English people were glad to see the back of her. Marrying King Philip of Spain was a desperate decision for a 38 year old woman who had never allowed herself any pleasures of the flesh. She was a sad and melancholy woman, trying to convert England back to Catholocism for her own selfish pleasure. Thinking God would punish her if she did not.

After Mary's death, there is a small part on Queen Elizabeth I, as the next book in the series is 'Elizabeth the Queen' - which I have already read, and is also fantastic. Weir is brilliant. I really cannot fault this book. (less)

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Aug 08, 2011

Kristin Strong rated it

I'm not sure this book lives up to the author's pitch for it in the introduction, but it's as close as sixteenth-century history can come to a page-turner.
In the intro, Alison Weir states that the book is the first to examine the relationships between the children of Henry VIII (and a cousin, Lady Jane Grey). There's some of that here, but it didn't quite give me what I expected. Weir uses (among other sources, of course) personal and diplomatic communications to establish and discuss th...more

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Aug 17, 2011

Allison rated it

This is an incredibly detailed account of the fate of the legitimate heirs of Henry VII. Quotes from source materials are used generously, which adds to the veracity of the book as whole. History can be dry, but Ms. Weir includes accounts of the states of mind of the people she is writing about, and faithfully records all facets of their lives, from the clothes they wear, to the illnesses that they suffer, to the food that they eat. Most people know the general story of Henry VII, but not as man...more

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Jun 07, 2010

Lynn rated it

Shelves: history-books

This is a wonderful book that covers the lives of the children of King Henry VIII. The most fascinating part is the long neglected story of the children between the time period when their father died and Elizabeth I became queen. I especially enjoyed reading about King Edward VI. I had always heard he was sickly and died young. Edward did die young but was not a sickly child. The story of the fate of the Seymour clan is interesting. Their desire to complete the Protestant Reformation beyon...more

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Jun 10, 2011

Sam rated it

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Shelves: favorites

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, having previously read bits and pieces about Henry VIII's heirs. I have read more on Edward VI than the others, although have read a little about the early life of Elizabeth. Any other information I knew of the Lady Jane Grey and Mary were bits and bobs I'd picked up along the way. It was really refreshing to be able to sit down and read a book that concentrated on the four (yes four!) heirs of Henry VIII, without getting too bogged down by dry politics and acts o...moreI thoroughly enjoyed this book, having previously read bits and pieces about Henry VIII's heirs. I have read more on Edward VI than the others, although have read a little about the early life of Elizabeth. Any other information I knew of the Lady Jane Grey and Mary were bits and bobs I'd picked up along the way. It was really refreshing to be able to sit down and read a book that concentrated on the four (yes four!) heirs of Henry VIII, without getting too bogged down by dry politics and acts of parliament. Plus, I have read many of Alison Weir's books and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. This was no different.

The book starts with the death of Henry VIII and the accession of the 9 year old Edward VI. I really enjoyed this section, and I loved how Weir wove the story of how Henry prepared for his young sons accession. It was apparent that Henry never wanted Edward to have a Protector but rather have a team of councillors ruling on his behalf. But of course as soon as Henry passed, Edward Seymour stepped in and made himself Protector with the backing of the council. Whilst Edward Seymour was a popular man, known as "The Good Duke", he seemed to give little thought or care to his nephew, keeping pocket money from him, and keeping the young boy in what could so easily be called poverty. In essence, the young king was poorly mistreated by his uncle, although I believe that Seymour was trying his best to act as Protector for the young king and keep the realm and the court up and running as of course it could be left to be run by a young boy. Unfortunately this treatment lead Edward to hate his uncle, thanks to the poisonous machinations of his other uncle and Seymour’s brother Thomas Seymour; and only made worse by the Earl of Warwick John Dudley who eventually ousted Edward Seymour from power and had him executed upon Tower Green. As the "good duke", the people wept for him at his execution and his arrest and condemnation had not been popular. At the time of Seymour's death, that was the end of the second brother, Thomas having already been executed for plotting to kidnap the young king and treason. It seems that following this, Edward was better treated but only out of Warwick's wish for power and his own ends.

All throughout the early sections of the books too we learn of how Elizabeth lived with Katherine Parr and her husband Thomas Seymour, and how like Edward, she too was horrifically abused by her carers. This time it is a little more shocking than the withdrawal of pocket money, Weir tells us how Thomas Seymour stole into her room and made advances on her, how he and Katherine Parr cut her gown from her in "game" despite the protestations of Kat Ashley.

Reading about how Edward fell ill and ended up losing his life to consumption really tore at my heart. As I was reading I could imagine the poor child lying in bed wasting away, looking gaunt and with his stomach distended from the disease, coughing up black bile. It made me feel sick and I felt so sorry for the poor boy. He wanted so hard to be like his father, proud and majestic and it was a wish you can see clearly in his portraits whereupon he adopts his father’s famous pose and piercing glare. He had been a healthy child, not sickly as so many have thought before; he enjoyed sports and was incredibly intelligent. Yet in his dying days he too was mistreated so badly that many suspected him of having been poisoned by Warwick, particularly as he had appointed a female "quack" the look after the king and treat him with arsenic. But Edward still had one last thing to do before he died, and that was alter the succession - something that Mary and many others really did not like and believes he could not legally do as he had not reached his majority and so could not change the succession put through by parliament. But he did it anyway, and instead of agreeing for Mary to succeed him (he did not like her Catholic religion) or even Elizabeth, he appointed his cousin the Lady Jane Grey as his successor.

Jane Grey is a figure who has always fascinated me. She was so young when she ascended the scaffold steps towards her death, and died bravely always honouring the parents who had so mistreated her. From a young age great things had been expected of her by Frances Brandon (neé Grey), her mother and niece of King Henry VIII and her father Henry Grey; she had been brought up knowing that she was of Royal blood and with promises that she would one day marry the young Edward Tudor. Her parents had always planned to use her like a pawn in a bitter battle for power. How little were they to know that these wishes for power would see both their daughter and Henry Grey himself executed for treason. Upon finding out that she was now Queen of England, Jane burst into tears and refused the crown. She steadfastly believed that Mary was the true Queen and she did not deserve it. She knew it was wrong, and wrote so in her journals and letters. Throughout her 9 day reign she kept insisting that Mary was the true heir and she had done wrong against God by accepting it. The truth was she was used; forced into it by greedy, power hungry relatives. Yet throughout her short, very short, reign she tried to do the best she could and made plans for more religious reforms and looked to finishing what both Henry VIII and Edward VI had started. She was after all a staunch protestant who never turned her back on her faith, even when faced with a reprieve from her treason sentencing were she to recant her beliefs.

9 days later however and her reign was over and the crown given over to Mary Tudor. The people wept and were seemingly overjoyed at her accession. How little were they to know, that in just a few short years they would hate her so passionately that many wished her dead. When Mary first came to the throne she was quite nice it seemed, kind and generous and even looking to pardon Jane Grey. I find it a shame that this was to change so rapidly - because if she really wanted to, I think she could have been a great queen rather than a woman whose name has been spat with hatred throughout the centuries.

Despite the harshness of her younger life, I can't feel sorry for Mary Tudor especially during her later years. Yes, she was severely mistreated by her father following his marriage to Anne Boleyn, and being unable to see her mother before her death. But despite this, I can harbour nothing but cold dread for Mary. However reading about her in this book really opened my eyes to her, to her mental state. Mary seemed to take up the majority of the book, and through it Weir really showed how mentally affected Mary had been during her younger years, how badly the loss of her mother and mistreatment by her father had affected her. She was a woman who craved love and affection and who desperately wanted a child. Mary was fiercely maternal and longed for a child of her own - a wish that was unfortunately never to come through. She was also constantly affected by illness and depression, likely from her upbringing as well as the pressures of ruling. And when she finally settled down to marry Phillip of Spain; her life was marred by disappointment. She believed she was pregnant, but had seemingly never been in the first place. She kept the pretence up for almost 11 months before reappearing in public. And in the end she and her pregnancy had become a bit of a joke. She was fiercely religious, threw herself into religion somewhat unhealthily. And it was this religious zeal that lead to her becoming known as bloody Mary, and beginning the Marian persecutions which were akin to the Spanish Inquisition. In her 5 year reign she had over 400 heretics burned at the stake including Thomas Cranmer, the man who had announced her parents’ marriage null and void. These burnings kept going up until the day of her death and in the end, despite the fact that upon her dying day she had 2 death warrants signed, these "heretics" never had their sentence carried out. Not only did these burnings make her severely unpopular, but her marriage to Phillip of Spain had also been a big turning point in her popularity, the people of England deeply mistrusted foreigner and feared that the marriage would bring them into the Hapsburg wars. And Phillip himself tried forcing Mary to send him troops over - a wish that her council kept on refusing.

In the end, despite starting out so well, and being so loved as the child of Katherine of Aragon, was it any wonder that she ended up being hated, having her name cursed and joking images painted of her? Her name was despised by the people, the persecution of the protestants had proven so incredibly unpopular and yet Mary still continued to do it. Her marriage to Phillip was loathed; the people did not like how unkind she was to her sister. Mary Tudor was a cruel, ruthless monarch - a woman who could not rule her country, let alone her council. She was weak, and a woman who preferred to spend her time in prayer rather than dealing with other important issues. It's no wonder that when she named Elizabeth as her successor that the people were so overjoyed with happiness that they flooded to see Elizabeth and offer obeisance.

They were not to know that Elizabeth Tudor was to rule for 45 years, and would become one of the greatest monarchs that England would ever know.

There was very little written by Weir on Elizabeth's reign, because she has dedicated an entire biography to the reign of this remarkable Queen, which I intend on picking up at some stage for sure. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could barely put it down. Alison Weir has a wonderful writing style that makes her books so readable and once you start reading you find yourself lost. The way she writes make you imagine you are there, living in the world that she is describing. There were times when I forgot I was reading a non-fiction book! Weir is a wonderful popular historian who puts the Tudor world in an easily understandable context and who makes the subject come to life when so many other historians make it dry and boring. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in later Tudor history and the reigns of the four heirs of Henry, each of whom had such sad beginnings; and only one who went on to become a truly majestic Queen remembered for the good as opposed to the bad, as opposed to being remembered for being controlled, for being an innocent traitor or for being a cruel tyrant.

Definitely worth a read and well recommended.
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Jul 19, 2010

Sara rated it

Shelves: nonfiction, death-and-dying, faith-and-religion, war-and-murder, all-time-favorites

The positive: I felt so sad for Queen Mary, which was unexpected. The "Bloody Mary" moniker, while not undeserved, is far less fitting than, like, "Sad Mary." She had a douchey husband, phantom pregnancies, a lot of crap talked about her...it's just sad. And Lady Jane Grey, already a tragic figure in the haze of my bad memory, became such a disastrously sad person, too. Even Edward, in his dying horror, made me sad. Only Elizabeth emerged without much of my pity -- sure, she ...more

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Sep 18, 2011

Mike rated it

Shelves: history-european, non-fiction

A good book about exactly what the title says - the children of King Henry VIII. As a teacher of A.P. European History, I knew the basic story of Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth but this book obviously contained a wealth of information that added to my knowledge. Weir writes her narrative in a way that mixes history and storytelling well.

I would probably have given this book five stars if it weren't for two things. First, following the names of English aristocrats at this time is ve...more

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Oct 05, 2010

Erin Germain rated it

Shelves: history, tudors, biography, non-fiction, four-stars

Virtually everyone knows about Elizabeth I and her long reign. Many have heard of Mary I ("Bloody Mary"), who ruled before her. But how many know about Edward VI or the Nine-Day Queen, Lady Jane Grey? These were the children (and great-niece, in the case of Jane Grey) of Henry VIII. The book begins with Henry's death and the Council who ruled in the young Edward's name, his assertion for power, and the political and religious wrangling that happened after his early death. It provided a...more

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Nov 14, 2010

Rebecca rated it

Shelves: history

A fascinating book that deals with each of his children in turn. This book was very good in tackling subjects which usually get dealt with as a chapter in a book on the individuals. As someone who finds the period fascinating, it was academic enough not to be boring if you know a fair amount about the main characters, but not daunting if you dont. Alison Weir puts the chronology together well, and examines the four characters relationship with each other, how those relationships were manipulated...more

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Jan 24, 2010

Lisa rated it

I recommend reading this book after Alison Weir's "the Six Wives of Henry VIII" as this picks up right where that left off. At his death in 1547, King Henry VIII left four heirs to the English throne: his only son, the nine-year-old Prince Edward; the Lady Mary, the adult daughter of his first wife, Katherine of Aragon; the Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, and his young great-niece, the Lady Jane Grey. Weir examines the relationship between Edward and Mary,...more

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Nov 14, 2011

Bebe Burnside rated it

The facts of the book are interesting all by themselves, but Weir does a great job in telling the story of each child and what he/she went through for being the son, daughter or great niece of Henry VIII. My only disappointment was that she spent a great deal of time on Mary's reign, and very little time on Elizabeth's. I know part of that is probably because Elizabeth is mentioned quite a bit up through the reign of the other three, but also she has written a whole book on Elizabeth and she i...more

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Aug 09, 2009

Rebes rated it

I looooooooooooove this book and can barely put it down. I will be reading all of Alison Weir's other books once I finish this one!

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May 11, 2009

Becky rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, tudor-obsession

To reiterate my review of Weir's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII," I can't believe I read this book all the way through, which says something about Weir's writing skills. Obviously, it helps to be interested in the subject matter, but it really expanded my knowledge on the children of Henry VIII. Of course Elizabeth I's reign would be its own book, but I was expecting Weir to touch on her reign a little bit more. Maybe one chapter - which I know would be hard, but Weir is such a great wri...more

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Dec 30, 2008

Aspasia rated it

Recommends it for: anyone interested in Tudor/English history

One of those rare history books that's actually interesting and enjoyable to read. I couldn't put it down, and now I feel compelled to get and read all her other books. I did have a major problem with the book (hence the loss of a star) in that nothing is mentioned about Elizabeth's reign. A book titled The Children of Henry VIII should include far more on the child who ended up reigning the longest. Then again, the author is coming out with a book on Elizabeth in February 2009. As long as you'r...more

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Feb 04, 2011

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Thoroughly loved this book! It took me a while to read this book as about half way through Ellie fell and shattered her arm, needing surgery and a cast and lots of recovery. I stalled at this time but after she was doing better managed to get back into it.

Weir writes about the events that took place after Henry VIII’s death with the announcement that his son Edward VI would become future King. We are given insight into the lives of Edward and his reign, Mary and her tragic and yet stub...more

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Jan 23, 2012

Orsolya rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: elizabeth-i, henry-viii, history, library, mistresses-royalty, queens, tudor-england, mary-tudor, wishlist

Although I wouldn’t say I’m a “Tudor Expert”, I do like to think I am well-versed on the topic. I first read Alison Weir’s “The Children of Henry VIII” almost a decade ago before I was the as acquainted with the Tudor dynasty. Although both are far different experiences, re-reading this history piece still brought enjoyment (once-again).

Immediately in the first sentence of the Preface, Weir states that The Children of Henry VIII “…is not a history of England during the troubles reig...moreAlthough I wouldn’t say I’m a “Tudor Expert”, I do like to think I am well-versed on the topic. I first read Alison Weir’s “The Children of Henry VIII” almost a decade ago before I was the as acquainted with the Tudor dynasty. Although both are far different experiences, re-reading this history piece still brought enjoyment (once-again).

Immediately in the first sentence of the Preface, Weir states that The Children of Henry VIII “…is not a history of England during the troubles reigns of Edward VI, Jane Grey [let’s stress for the beginner Tudor reader that Jane was NOT Henry’s daughter], Mary I, and Elizabeth I, but a chronicle of the personal lives of four English sovereigns and the relationships between them…” While this is true that Weir does not dive too deeply into the political landscape of the aforementioned individuals and focuses more on the social and personal aspects of these leaders; the text still doesn’t give the desired look into the psyche of these sovereigns as perhaps expected. Rather then REALLY getting to “know” theses individuals and experiencing their histories, Weir basically just tells their stories.

Despite this, Weir keeps a smooth chronological sequence of events and instead of sectioning off chapters for each king/queen; she intertwines events in order to show equal-time incidents in various lives (I.E. While Mary was “fill in the blank”, Elizabeth was doing…). This creates a full picture of the Tudors which is especially insightful to those readers newer to the topic at hand. For those more familiar, The Children of Henry VIII is a terrific refresher course (plus, it has some details which you may have not read elsewhere).

As usual with Weir, her research is extensive and annotated while also including quotes and chunks of letters/documents while presenting a text which is well-paced and smooth versus overly scholarly. One of the positives is that Weir did not demonstrate an overly-biased view towards any of the sovereigns, telling their domestic affairs with equal validity. Another optimistic feature were the biographical snippets on other influential figures which provided insight into in the lives of well-known but lesser written about personages.

As The Children of Henry VIII progressed, it became increasingly more detailed, and for lack of a better description, more entertaining; while being accompanied by strong sources such as Edward’s diary entries and Elizabeth’s household account books. Even having read this book in the past, I still eagerly turned the pages and was engaged by Weir’s storytelling (although, she was at times repetitive and would reiterate phrases).

The majority of the book followed Mary’s reign, helping bring her to life and almost read like a single Mary biography which may deter some readers (but was welcomed by me, as a fan of Mary). Even though I know a great deal about Mary Tudor; there were some details and statistics I was unaware of. It is always riveting to learn something new.

The Children of Henry VIII is a rather solid look into the heirs to Henry VIII’s throne and the events which connected them. Although the book could have presented more details on the other sovereigns aside from Mary (Weir ends the book at Elizabeth’s accession to the throne); this glimpse into the Tudor world is engaging and certainly worth reading about.

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Jun 29, 2011

Wendy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: real-life-stories

For my first non-fictional book that I've ever read, especially a book about figures from history almost 500 years ago, I found it both educational & intriguing. Alison Weir is definitely a well-informed writer who leaves you satisfied that you received the whole factual picture that there is to present about a person & a time period. She's very well rounded with her writing & presented the story surrounding these 4 monarchs of British History in a fair & balanced matter... to the extent that yo...more

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Jun 21, 2010

Lindsey rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, history, biography

The Children of Henry VIII, although slightly misnamed (the book includes the events surrounding Henry VIII's grand-niece Jane Grey), is a wonderful introduction into the intricacies and perils of being an heir to Henry VIII's England. This book starts at Henry VIII's death and continues to Elizabeth's accession to the throne upon her half sister Mary's death.

Weir's strength lies in her ability to tell the active story of the historical events she writes about, all the while corrobor...more

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Jan 24, 2012

Nicole R rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone who likes Tudor history

Shelves: history, memoir-biography, tudor-england, 2011

I thought this book deserved a re-read, especially since historical fiction is one of my new projects.

I really liked it, and found the relationships between his 3 children (plus Lady Jane Grey) really interesting. There’s definitely a lot of material I can use.

Since I took notes, there were a lot of things that I noticed- one being how important religion was. There was a lot of back and forth between the Catholics and the Protestants, which wasn’t a surprise, but still…...moreI thought this book deserved a re-read, especially since historical fiction is one of my new projects.

I really liked it, and found the relationships between his 3 children (plus Lady Jane Grey) really interesting. There’s definitely a lot of material I can use.

Since I took notes, there were a lot of things that I noticed- one being how important religion was. There was a lot of back and forth between the Catholics and the Protestants, which wasn’t a surprise, but still…a lot seemed to go back to religion.

One of the criticisms I have is that anytime medical issues were mentioned, different possibilities about what they were followed. While I appreciate Weir’s attempt to be thorough, and mention the possibilities of what the different monarchs had, we can’t make assumptions because what we know may not be accurate. What was recorded most likely isn’t the whole story, and how the doctors described something might not be how doctors today would describe something. After all, we still have no idea what the sweating sickness was.

A great example would be the times that Mary thought she was pregnant, and even showed signs she was pregnant, but actually wasn’t pregnant. Weir goes through the different possibilities about what may have caused Mary’s false pregnancy, talking about how a phantom pregnancy was the most likely cause.

It’s not that I didn’t appreciate it, because I did. It was interesting to read about the different theories about various illnesses they all had, but at the same time, it was frustrating because we can’t know for sure what they had. I will give Weir the benefit of the doubt, and assume the different theories were in the sources Weir used when doing research for the book.

Another major issue I had was when she talked about Lady Jane Grey. I was reading the part about Jane’s execution, and couldn’t figure out why it was so familiar. And then I realized that the same passage was used in Innocent Traitor, nearly word for word! She clearly used her own books as research for Innocent Traitor, which I don’t have a problem with, especially since Weir is known for writing about British monarchs. But to use the exact same passage in a completely different book? And not only that, but the wording in Innocent Traitor was almost exactly the same, if not entirely the same.

Despite the couple criticisms I have, it was still a great book, and very informative. I have several pages of notes, front and back, plus lots of highlighting and underlining, and even notes in the margins. And I have quite a few questions and things I want to know more about.

Rating: 4 out of 5. I’d recommend it to anyone, especially those who like history or want to learn more about the relationships between Prince Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth.(less)

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Jan 20, 2012

Mandy rated it

Shelves: books-read-2012

This is another good piece of work from Ms Weir. Like others have already pointed out, it reads like a novel,therefore making it easy to digest.

I was glad the author chose to put Lady Jane Grey in the mix, simply because it explained the flow monarch to monarch.

Ms Weir does a good job at evoking smypathy at one time or another for all the children, even "Bloody Mary", which is a feat in itself. I have a better understanding of Mary and Elizabeth, the events whi...more

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Jan 21, 2010

Jennifer rated it

I love those Tudors. And I'll read just about anything about them.

The Children of Henry VIII is a work of non-fiction and covers the span of time from when Henry VIII dies to when his second daughter, Elizabeth I takes the throne. So though the title says "children," the book covers the reigns of Edward VI, Jane Grey (who was Henry VIII's great-niece), Mary I, and finally Elizabeth's ascension.

This book is a straight-forward look at the time and the players. No...more

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