Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England by Thomas Penn

Mar 04, 2013 Brenna added it

Shelves: arthur-to-elizabeth-ii, library-read, reference

I don't read a lot of NF because I usually find it to be tedious, but The Winter King certainly wasn't that. There were some sections I had to skim because I didn't feel they were relevant to the storyline, but mostly I was hooked into this very complex King. I'm beginning to wonder if all of the kings beginning with the conquest weren't a little off their rocker in some way. If you are new the era, this wouldn't the first book I would pick up because it does flip flop around a bit in the beginn...more

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May 04, 2012 Margaret Sankey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Henry VII is usually treated as a charmless and thrifty prelude to the big reign of Henry VIII, with the inevitable marriage of Henry and Catherine of Aragon, and the reversal of his father's bully policies for a golden age of chivalry and, you know, all the crazy shit Henry VIII was about to do. For inheriting an unstable throne, holding it for 25 year and leaving England relatively stable, Henry VII deserves his own biography and a lot more credit. Much of the ruthless machinery of control was...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Warwick rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, tudor

I was disappointed by this – it was decent but I think it was somewhat overhyped. Having seen it pop up in a lot of papers' Books of the Year lists, I think I was expecting something altogether more gripping and dramatic, but in the end I thought the story of Henry VII and the Tudor succession was just not an especially thrilling tale. Henry himself was clearly a distant figure who governed through his ministers, but this means that it's quite hard to get much of a sense of his character from th...more I was disappointed by this – it was decent but I think it was somewhat overhyped. Having seen it pop up in a lot of papers' Books of the Year lists, I think I was expecting something altogether more gripping and dramatic, but in the end I thought the story of Henry VII and the Tudor succession was just not an especially thrilling tale. Henry himself was clearly a distant figure who governed through his ministers, but this means that it's quite hard to get much of a sense of his character from the few sources available. Annoyingly, much of the most interesting stuff concerns his son, and whenever Penn comments intelligently on how the events here affected the future Henry VIII's reign I found myself perking up – such as the suggestion that Henry VII's marriage to Elizabeth was ‘the kind of marriage that their second son, Prince Henry, would spend his whole life trying to find’. But that's not really what I wanted from a book about Henry VII.

The prose is workmanlike. Penn sometimes overplays his material, ominously building up events which turn out not to be that dramatic after all. ‘Whom’ is only rarely used in this book; ‘who’ usually stands for both subject and object. That's obviously fine in speech, but it meant I had to reread a few of the sentences in here to work out what was exactly was happening.

Penn is strong on writing paragraph-sketches of key figures in the regime, but he has an annoying habit of including so many of them that it becomes a demanding job to keep track of them all. Names are scattered around like confetti. This paragraph is typical (although it does include one of the rare ‘whom’s):

It was very probably the Hertfordshire knight Sir William Say – who as well as being an acquaintance of Archbishop Morton and More's father Sir John, was Mountjoy's father-in-law – who had provided the young More with an introduction to Mountjoy, with whom he became firm friends. The Say family, indeed, joined all the dots: Sir William was half-brother to Elizabeth countess of Surrey, and among the queen's gentlewomen was his sister, Anne.

This is fine at the start of a book, but when he was still introducing dozens of characters by page 300 I started to get a bit annoyed with it. Most are introduced and then dropped two pages later, never to reappear.

The most fascinating parts for me turned out to be the sidebars on 16th-century Europe – the international trade in alum, monopolised by the Pope, smuggled across the continent by Henry, was something I knew nothing about. England's enclave in Calais is also something I'd like to read more on. Financial affairs in particular are very well handled here, and in Penn's retelling at least they were one of Henry's central preoccupations. But overall (and clearly I'm in a minority, since most people seem to have loved this book) I just felt there was a lack of narrative coherence. Most people who study the Tudors tend to start with Henry VIII, and to be honest after this I can see why.(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, history-of-magic, arc

An inticing peek into medieval England. Thomas Penn brings the reign of Henry VII to life in this well-researched book full of suspense and intrigue.

Not only do we meet the paranoid king and his complex acquaintances - from calculating monarchs to conniving pretenders - but we relive the crises of the times. Plague, war, and political deception are made real from page to page.

Amid the evolving political ideas of the time, we also find remnants of superstition and legend: celebrations of both K...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The hybrid rose...

Like many people, I have always had an interest in perhaps the most famous of all the Kings, Henry VIII. However, prior to reading this book, I really knew nothing about the reign of his father, Henry VII, or indeed of Henry VIII’s early years. This book has helped fill much of that gap in my knowledge. As a non-historian, I wouldn’t pretend to be able to comment on the historical accuracy, but I found the book very well written, the arguments convincing and the whole a very i...more The hybrid rose...

Like many people, I have always had an interest in perhaps the most famous of all the Kings, Henry VIII. However, prior to reading this book, I really knew nothing about the reign of his father, Henry VII, or indeed of Henry VIII’s early years. This book has helped fill much of that gap in my knowledge. As a non-historian, I wouldn’t pretend to be able to comment on the historical accuracy, but I found the book very well written, the arguments convincing and the whole a very interesting read.

Penn paints a picture of a monarch who spent his early years fighting first to gain and then to hold the throne at the tail end of the Wars of the Roses and who in his later years became obsessed with the need to consolidate his position and ensure an undisputed dynastic inheritance for his son. The author’s study of how Henry VII used bonds and fines as a method of exerting control over the aristocracy and of curtailing the power of any potential rivals was fascinating although, for my personal taste, a little over-detailed at times. I found it both interesting and unexpected that Henry VII chose to do this by financial control rather than by the axe later so beloved of Henry VIII.

The most interesting parts of the book to me were those that dealt with the young Princes Arthur and Henry and with poor Catherine of Aragon, used for years as a pawn in a game of diplomatic chess. The author paints a sympathetic picture of how powerless Catherine was in influencing and determining her own fate – not unusual, of course, but often left undescribed. Penn also gives some great descriptions of state occasions: the marriage of Catherine to Arthur and later to Henry VIII, coronations, funerals, and the socially important jousting tournaments. We also learn who were the influences on Henry VIII’s education, both intellectual and chivalrous, and learn about the early careers of some of those who would be so significant in his later reign – More, Wolsey et al.

The book is very much a biography rather than a social history and as such concentrates almost exclusively on royalty, aristocracy and the rich. Personally, I would have liked the author to shed a bit more light on how Henry VII’s reign impacted on the commoners. But that small criticism aside, I found this an entertaining and educational read, accessible to the non-historians amongst us, and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Tudor period.

NB This book was provided for review by Amazon Vine UK.(less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating. I'll start by saying that I know very little of this period of history - beyond the legends (myths?) of Henry VIII. And, knowing very little about royal history and little enough about British history I felt like I jumped into the middle of the story. The scholarship seems solid, though, and was well-told so I feel like I could move forward or backward into history and make sense of it.

Penn's history of the reign of Henry VIII (and it's more of a history than biography) is dense but...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Audrey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A remarkable book about the beginning of the Tudor Dynasty. The book reflects the wealth of research undertaken by the author, but It is never boring or turgid. As you read through the chapters you begin to feel and smell the oppressive court of Henry VII. In reality, At the root of all the oppression was the real problem that Henry VIi had no right to the throne and he knew it, he was the usurper. Henry VII lived his whole reign living in fear of other legitimate and non-legitimate claims to th...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Caroline Taggart rated it 4 of 5 stars

The serious reviewers raved about this book and I can see why –it is an extraordinary piece of research into a man most of us know little about, sandwiched as he is between the notorious Richard III and the Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Henry VII comes across as almost entirely unlovable: paranoid, micro-managing and ruthless, surrounded by advisors who will screw every penny in taxation and fines out of anyone they can accuse of anything. Knowing how dodgy his claim to the throne is, and beset by po...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Claire Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

In my never-ending quest to read possibly every single published book on the Tudor monarchy, I spied this little gem a few weeks ago and picked it up. It's difficult to get a handle on Henry VII. Some of it is due to his personality--he played his cards close to the vest, unlike his son--and some of it is due to Tudor spin--they were, after all trying to bolster up the royal credentials for a man who didn't have that many. Overblown prose trumpeting his reign seemed to be the order of the day.

Al...more In my never-ending quest to read possibly every single published book on the Tudor monarchy, I spied this little gem a few weeks ago and picked it up. It's difficult to get a handle on Henry VII. Some of it is due to his personality--he played his cards close to the vest, unlike his son--and some of it is due to Tudor spin--they were, after all trying to bolster up the royal credentials for a man who didn't have that many. Overblown prose trumpeting his reign seemed to be the order of the day.

Although the first quarter of this book is a little dry, at around the twenty-five percent mark Penn all of a sudden takes off and finds his voice. What a beautifully written book. In a sure voice, Penn captures without so much as a hiccup the tenor of these men, an era of the fantastically ambitious and avaricious. Add several whose claims to the throne were considerably more legitimate than Henry Tudor's, and you have an age where the royal fortune is so fragile that success and failure seem to turn on the seemingly most trivial events, like a storm at the right place at the right time. Although these events are dramatic enough in themselves, Penn takes this up several notches by deftly marshalling these events into a coherent, fascinating narrative. The chapters dealing with the alum trade are alone worth buying this book.

The personalities of them men are large and Penn draws these men with the drollest of pens. From the enclave of rapacious Italians to the poets and humanists vying for royal favor, from Henry VII's financial henchmen Dudley and Empson to the emerging players that will play such a huge role in his son's reign (Wolsey, Cromwell, More, and Warham), Penn adroitly weaves in all their stories as the background to what is a monarchy that is obsessed with its legitimacy. Henry VII's solution to his less-than-stellar credentials was to amass so much money that he was able to buy stability, even if it meant terrorizing his people. His son would be no less obsessed and equally adept at terrorizing the populace.

A delightful read, I highly recommend it.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

While most of us are familiar with Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and we probably have a sense of the Wars of the Roses in England, but how many of us are familiar with Henry VII. He was the founder of the Tudor dynasty, and his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville brought together the too sides that were facing off during the Wars of the Roses (the Lancasters and the Yorks) basically uniting the two houses into a single family.

This book takes the opportunity to look at the final 10 years of Henry VII's...more While most of us are familiar with Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and we probably have a sense of the Wars of the Roses in England, but how many of us are familiar with Henry VII. He was the founder of the Tudor dynasty, and his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville brought together the too sides that were facing off during the Wars of the Roses (the Lancasters and the Yorks) basically uniting the two houses into a single family.

This book takes the opportunity to look at the final 10 years of Henry VII's reign, which nicely highlights the transition period between the Wars of the Roses and the newfound "stability" of the Tudor line once Henry VIII took over. Henry VII was not totally without competitive claimants to the throne, but he was able to beat back the claims through various means.

Henry VII himself was a fairly capable leader, though he suffered greatly from a sense of paranoia. To some degree, he often did not trust those around him. This caused him to build a large network of spies, which was not uncommon for the Tudor rulers who would follow him.

Readers get a great deal of detail about the way people lived during this time period. While the title would seem to indicate the book is a biography of him, it is definitely not solely about him. Other famous people from the period (such as Erasmus and Thomas More) are also covered with great detail.

It is easy to see how the English government/crown evolved and changed with the presentation in this book. The events are set during a time of transition. This includes information about the long-standing betrothal marriages of Katherine of Aragon to both Princes Arthur and Henry, the competition between the English Crown and the papacies of Alexander VI (the Borgia pope) and Justinian II, and the full establishment of the role of the crown in England.

This is definitely not a book for the casual reader. It is filled with fine details, such as household records, that would be familiar to those who are fans of Alison Weir's biographies.

I know that I really liked it!(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

All dynasties have to start somewhere and the Tudors started with Henry VII. When most people think of the Tudors I think the go to Henry VIII first and then to Elizabeth I. People forget about the first Tudor. But his history is a very compelling read. This non-fiction book by Thomas Penn chronicles the rise of Henry VII from his exile in France to his defeat of Richard III where he basically ends the Wars of the Roses and steals the throne. Henry writes his own history and makes sure that the...more

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May 04, 2012 Dwight added it

My review on the audiobook version, which contains additional links.

I knew very little about Henry VII before listening to the
book, which probably reflects his position between the more famous Richard III
and Henry VIII. As Penn notes in his introduction, even Shakespeare opted not
to include Henry VII in his “sequence of history plays—and not for want of
material but, one suspects, because the reign was simply too uncomfortable to
deal with.” Henry was able to bring about some order of stability, e...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Christopher Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is first class historical writing, combining judicious research with a refined empathy for Tudor himself and for the situation he found himself in. Having been forced to rely heavily on the now rather dated SB Chrimes I was delighted to see this book was on the way, and I was certainly not disappointed. For my own selfish purposes I would have preferred more on the pre-Bosworth machinations in 84/5 and perhaps would have traded some of the delights of the alum trade, but apart from that I e...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Marie Z. Johansen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit to being a history geek. For me, history is alive and energizing - not something static and remote. My obsession is European history from the 12th through 17th centuries - especially British history - so of course, when I was offered the chance to review this book, my interest was piqued immediately.

I had not read too terribly much about Henry VII in the past and, with this book, Thomas Penn, brings this most important of English monarch to life in a very enjoyable fashion. There...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

C2011: I now understand some of the quirks and quiddities relating to the English psyche. Having read this, the horrors of living under a system ruled by one man solely is brought to life. As The Guardian stated “Two themes of his book preside: the permanent vulnerability of Henry's regime, and his ruthless methods of rule.” It also highlights the saying “What goes around, comes around”. Whilst factual in content, this book manages to break down the various political intrigues, personalities and...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Campbell Mcaulay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Readable and informative

Winter King really isn't my choice of book, but my wife avidly reads anything she can get on English history and our bookshelves are overflowing with this sort of thing. So it seemed sensible to pass it on to her, so this review was written by me on the basis of my wife Suzanne's thoughts on the book.

Thomas Penn's book is extremely well written for a debut and Suzanne thoroughly enjoyed it. It was not a difficult read at all, especially for a reader who may be used to thi...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Éowyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

There's an old Chinese curse that runs "may you live in interesting times". Penn throws some new light on an era that certainly can be described as 'interesting' and somewhere I'm sure I wouldn't want to be living!

The Winter King of the title is Henry Tudor. Although more a history of the reign than biography (his early life is described only in brief), Henry doesn't come across as particularly likeably - not someone you'd like to sit down to dinner with! His whole style of kingship seems to be...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The young Earl of Richmond landed at Milford Haven in June 1485, with an entourage of loyal supporters. Two months later in a battle of hope over adversity, the house of Tudor conquered the last of the Plantagenets in the Battle of Bosworth field. Richard III, erstwhile King of England lay dead and defeated, and the dawn of the Tudor age rose from the ashes of despair.

This easily readable factual account of the latter years of Henry VII's reign sheds light on this enigmatic King who is so often...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Ray Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

"Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England" was a revelation. I've read three histories that cover the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII which explain that Henry VII was a virtuous king under whose watch England enjoyed peace. The emphasis is always on the stage being set for Henry VIII to change the world forever. While this was the case to a certain extent, it sells short the 25 year of work Henry VII did to establish the legitimacy of the House of Tudor by not only ruling well,...more "Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England" was a revelation. I've read three histories that cover the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII which explain that Henry VII was a virtuous king under whose watch England enjoyed peace. The emphasis is always on the stage being set for Henry VIII to change the world forever. While this was the case to a certain extent, it sells short the 25 year of work Henry VII did to establish the legitimacy of the House of Tudor by not only ruling well, but by deflecting assaults on his reign. Henry VII was not only a deft statesmen who managed international issues and secured his realm, he was truly the father of VIII.

Under Henry VII, Penn makes clear, the tools and practices Henry VIII would perfect, Henry VII invented and used. For example, Henry VII raised money in new and various ways. While working within the legal tradition that was well established, Henry VII exacted income from the church, engaged in international trade and terrorized the citizenry imprisoning subjects for political, financial and personal reasons as well as for the purpose of exacting fines as a source of revenue. Henry VII also had issues with the church in Rome and believed that it's hold over secular life was inappropriate. Thus, Henry VII is not the "Winter King" while Henry VII "The Spring" as much as Henry VIII reaped what Henry VII sewed. In fact, while Penn is not this direct, it is clear that in broad strokes, Henry VIII did very little that his father had not done. Henry VIII simply expanded the scale of his action and went all the way to separation with Rome.

As far as the writing is concerned, the book is fairly dry. There are some wonderful episodes reported on with skill, but there are dozens of characters who remain flat and lifeless. I understand that this is owing to this being serious history and Penn did not included personal details to flesh out characters if such information was not available to him in his research. As a scholarly work, this is a formidable volume. Unfortunately, I've read several histories and biographies this year which read like fiction because of the wealth of personal papers which are far more limited when writing about a king who died over 500 years ago. Never the less, the book was engaging and the writing style accessible.

I've mentioned in other reviews that I was fascinated by Julia Fox's "Sister Queens" which was a dual biography of Catherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile. I've since been reading the lives of the Kings and Queens of England through the 16th century. While the story of Henry VIII is simply outrageous, Mary tragic and Elizabeth heroic, Henry VII is foundational. Well worth reading with lots of engaging segments and fascinating, enlightening insights. However, this is not a page turner.(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Nick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent.

Somehow I just kept reading and was surprised that each time I sat down I had read 30 or 40 pages without noticing. I found the subject absorbing and the writing enabled me to concentrate. The style of the book is narrative and description with some analysis, but no attempt to discuss theories or academic concepts, so very much in the bracket of popular well-researched history.

And there is a lot of detail, and a lot of characters. This is inevitable given the breadth of the topic - th...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Winter King is a detailed, clearly written and logical account of the life of Henry VII. I had previously read little about the English king who founded the Tudor dynasty so I appreciated the depth the author provided in this biography of the man. However, Henry wasn't a particularly admirable or charismatic person, so while learning this much about him was "good for my mind," it was not especially enjoyable or inspiring.

I would recommend this book only for readers who are seriously interested...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not a history of the reign, nor a biography of Henry--rather as the title suggests a study of the last years of Henry's life and rule. It considers his (justifiable) paranoia and the methods he used to enhance his security; his efforts to be a player in European diplomacy and power politics, the extra-legal methods to enhance his coffers and terrorize potential opponents through his strategy to put the wealthy and powerful of England "in trouble at the King's pleasure;" his negotiations with Spa...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Susan Paxton rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really have mixed feelings about this. The first half of the book was badly organized and choppy - Penn had a lot of material and didn't seem to know how to organize it. He wasn't helped by the fact that it seems as if half the men in England at the time were apparently named "Henry" or "Richard," so you have to read very closely and sometimes go back and check to make sure you know who he's talking about. His use of neologisms is startling too ("hoovering", "mini-mes"). Rather suddenly, the s...more

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Sep 25, 2012 happy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-general, history-english

Interesting look at the founder of the Tudor dynesty. I thought the book was well written, even though a bit dry is spots. Henry was a remarkable man. I thought the way he controled the nobility was fascinating - keeping them in check as well a raising vast sums of money at the same time.

The book brings out his successful diplomacy - keeping England out of the various wars in Europe and managing to marry his son to the daughter of one of leading houses in Europe.

I thought the look at his relatio...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was aware that Henry VII was not exactly known as a charmer, and indeed, the author begins by darkly noting that he was the only recent monarch not examined by Shakespeare. Hard to imagine, isn't it, an English king nastier than Richard III, but I suppose even he has been rehabilitated recently. Not so for Henry: the court poet John Skelton "described in his nightmarish vision of court, confronted by doubleness and inconstancy at every turn, people creeping just out of his eyeline, whispering...more I was aware that Henry VII was not exactly known as a charmer, and indeed, the author begins by darkly noting that he was the only recent monarch not examined by Shakespeare. Hard to imagine, isn't it, an English king nastier than Richard III, but I suppose even he has been rehabilitated recently. Not so for Henry: the court poet John Skelton "described in his nightmarish vision of court, confronted by doubleness and inconstancy at every turn, people creeping just out of his eyeline, whispering in corners as they looked him up and down, unable to be sure of anything or anybody. A kind of terror had settled on the royal household. And it stemmed from the king himself."

How bad could he be, one wonders. Pretty bad. As Thomas Penn describes it, Henry perfected a system "idiosyncratic and terrifying, that would allow him unprecedented control over his subjects. It was designed, he said, to allow him to keep his subjects ‘in danger at his pleasure’." And what exactly did Henry do with this unprecedented absolutist authority? The author describes the system in chilling detail:

"The methods by which it worked were equally opaque. It was fed by a constant stream of information supplied by a well-entrenched network of retainers, agents and informers. Its subpoenas – consisting of a summons stamped with the privy seal, or a ‘sharp letter’ from the king or one of his counsellors – could be delivered by anyone, even an anonymous messenger. These writs rarely, if ever, stated a precise charge – simply a demand that the defendant should turn up in response to some unspecified accusation: ‘to answer to such things as shall be objected against him’. And because the council learned was not a recognized court of law, and its writs were not formally enrolled when they were issued, the defendant had to appear clutching the subpoena that he had been served. A process that filled people with fear, frustration and rage, it bypassed and overrode the common law courts, plucking people out of the normal workings of the legal system and hauling them straight in front of a panel invested with the king’s ultimate judicial authority. Henry himself never attended the council’s hearings, but then he didn’t have to. It was the perfect expression of his will, and of his personal rule..."

The Soviets had nothing on this guy. And what was the end result of this surveillance? Henry, rather than executing his miserable victims, bound them forever in financial servitude: "These were sums that the guilty parties could never hope to pay off. And that, in a way, was the point. The schedule of payments was such that the slate would never be wiped clean: these nobles would be bound in perpetual debt to the crown, a debt that they would pass on to their children, and their children’s children, until such time as the crown, at its pleasure, decided to cancel it. The suspended fines, or ‘recognizances’, meanwhile, were like being on permanent bail. If triggered, their victims would be ruined – and, as they knew, Henry was watching their every move."

If there is any criticism of this biography, it is that the subject himself is so dark and cold, that the relating of his story becomes after not too many pages, acutely unpleasant. But one still has to appreciate the effectiveness of this tyrant, whose methods made him the richest king in Europe, who managed to stave off the ever-present threat of civil war, and who laid the foundation for one of the most successful (or at any rate colorful) dynasties in the history of England.
(less)

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May 07, 2012 Robert Hall rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crap

The author makes too many judgements which made me ask "How does he know that"; on one occasion he claims to know what Henry 7th "thought". these unproveable assertions put me right off.

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Feb 12, 2012 Daniel Hulmes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: renaissance-history

Very much enjoyed this biography of Henry VII. His reign is not as well documented as many of his Tudor descendants but this book really shows how he laid the foundations of the dynasty. When he became King in 1485, Britain had spent decades being torn asunder by civil war. Henry united the country and, through his dubious means of raising finance, elevated it to become one of the biggest players in Europe.

I also found it quite interesting to read about the youthful Henry VIII and how his upbrin...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Bookthesp1 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

This is a truly excellent book on Henry V11, written with verve and (as expected from a debutante writer working in publishing) some emphasis on the telling phrase and racy narrative drive. Penn writes brilliantly not just about Henry Tudor but about the regime he created. As a "usurper" with a less than strong claim to the throne its perhaps no surprise that Henry went to any lengths to maintain his dynasty and anchor the Tudor regime. The last decade of his reign saw something approaching the...more This is a truly excellent book on Henry V11, written with verve and (as expected from a debutante writer working in publishing) some emphasis on the telling phrase and racy narrative drive. Penn writes brilliantly not just about Henry Tudor but about the regime he created. As a "usurper" with a less than strong claim to the throne its perhaps no surprise that Henry went to any lengths to maintain his dynasty and anchor the Tudor regime. The last decade of his reign saw something approaching the outlines of an absolute monarchy according to Penn. The level of detail is excellent with the tortuous networks of spies, double agents, double dealing and rampant bribery outlined to the full. Indeed scholarship that sought to emphasize Henrys miserly character is undermined by this account which shows his constantly used option of bribing foreign states to achieve his aims, whether it be to isolate a Yorkist threat such as the Earl of Suffolk (hiding abroad) or ignore papal edicts about the sale and trade of alum which henry gleefully continued, despite its supposed monopoly status under the pope. Vast amounts of money was not only accrued but spent on bribery and gifts despite the fact that on many occasions money was taken and then Henry was double crossed or ignored. Penn writes with verve and has a slightly Starkeyesque way of using phrasing that chimes with modern times. The Wars of the Roses are Turf wars and Jousting is the Tudor equivalent of 'extreme sports'. If the book itself wasn't so scholarly this would come across as an irritating affectation. As it is, Penn has managed to write a book so full of spies it could be compared to The Reckoning (Charles Nicolls account of the death of Christopher Marlowe) or a Le carre Novel. He is also particuarly good on the 'new men' who would try to build their careers under HenryV11 and his son and the rough trade of men such as Empson and Dudley who ended up being hoisted by there ever so rich and corrupt petards when Henry V111 had to put clear blue water between his regime and that of his dad. So a great read which manages to be scholarly and racy at the same time. Its managed to change my view of HenryV11 as not so much the dull interlude between hunchback Richard 111 and gloryboy Henry V111 but
a master of his own kingdom in its own right but also a man who went to almost stalinesque lengths to get his own way and raise the funds to secure the Tudor Regime. Impressive work. A great read.(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, english-history

As I'm in the midst of the Ravellenic Games (for the non-knitter person, this means I'm pretty much constantly knitting during the Olympics), I'm going to be trucking through audio books as I try to injure my hands permanently.

This book was one that goodreads suggested to me, then I saw that the library (or I should say "a library" as I have three that I frequent online) had it. The rest is reading history.

Despite my epic travels through Tudor history, my knowledge of Henry VII is limited if not...more As I'm in the midst of the Ravellenic Games (for the non-knitter person, this means I'm pretty much constantly knitting during the Olympics), I'm going to be trucking through audio books as I try to injure my hands permanently.

This book was one that goodreads suggested to me, then I saw that the library (or I should say "a library" as I have three that I frequent online) had it. The rest is reading history.

Despite my epic travels through Tudor history, my knowledge of Henry VII is limited if not absent. This ironically portrayed in the double frame hanging above my bedside reading lamp. There's a picture of Richard III and beside him...a young Henry VIII. I didn't mean to not have their interregnum portrayed, but the museum that I got the portraits at simply didn't have him available.

And that sums of the normal view of Henry VII--because he could win at Bosworth Field, but history treats him as just that middle man between the usurper of Richard and the iconic reign of Henry VIII.

This books ably shows why Henry is nearly forgotten--because he's uncomfortable. After being portrayed as a bridge between the rival families, the real man (as described in this book) is far less appealing. Henry was perfectly comfortable with repeatedly and remorselessly allowing his counselors to drum up money for him by making false accusations (some as heinous as infanticide) and then allowing the "guilty" party to buy a pardon. Always a bit unsure on the throne, he forced those around him to pay up bonds to ensure their loyalty. Basically, although he provided a notable time of peace and stability in England, it was not merry. It was frightening and insecure.

This book does have some failings. Henry's reign is not well documented, and the author only really gets going when Katherine of Aragon arrives on the scene in 1502. That leave 17 years barely accounted for, except for the two pretenders of Perkin Warbeck and Lambert Simnel (there just aren't enough children named Lambert these days). For a while, I was convinced I had accidentally not downloaded the entire book, as I found myself in the 1500s more rapidly than I expected.

This is a must read for those interested in Henry VIII, because he inherited far more from his father than a full treasury (which Henry VIII rapidly depleted) and a crown. This book provides insight into his ancestry as well as casting much needed light on Henry VII--who, it should be noted, only had one wife and her head's relationship to her neck seems never to be called into question.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 corax is currently reading it

a fitting companion to BRING UP THE BODIES by hilary mantel, which i recently finished. indeed mantel blurbs this book enthusiastically. and with good reason -- it's very well done. the author is said to work 'as an editor at a publishing house in london,' which goes to show [as if we needed proof] that plenty of people besides academics can do splendid academic research and publication. this is his first book; i hope he does more.

another note that might be obvious, but i mention it here because...more

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Tudor History Lovers: Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England, by Thomas Penn	18	51	10 hours, 47 min ago
Goodreads Feedback: Giveaway that never came	10	113	May 10, 2012 02:31pm

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