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Henry VIII: The King and His Court

4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 · rating details · 4,841 ratings · 158 reviews

NEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn.

Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power, celebrated for his intellect, presided over the most stylish—and dangerous—court in Renaissance Europe. Scheming cardinals vied for power with newly rich landowners and merchants, brilliant painters and architects introduced a new sp...more NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn.

Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power, celebrated for his intellect, presided over the most stylish—and dangerous—court in Renaissance Europe. Scheming cardinals vied for power with newly rich landowners and merchants, brilliant painters and architects introduced a new splendor into art and design, and each of Henry's six queens brought her own influence to bear upon the life of the court. In her new book, Alison Weir, author of the finest royal chronicles of our time, brings to vibrant life the turbulent, complex figure of Henry VIII and the glittering court he made his own.

In an age when a monarch's domestic and political lives were inextricably intertwined, a king as powerful and brilliant as Henry VIII exercised enormous sway over the laws, the customs, and the culture of his kingdom. Yet as Weir shows in this swift, vivid narrative, Henry's ministers, nobles, and wives were formidable figures in their own right, whose influence both enhanced and undermined the authority of the throne. On a grand stage rich in pageantry, intrigue, passion, and luxury, Weir records the many complex human dramas that swirled around Henry, while deftly weaving in an account of the intimate rituals and desires of England's ruling class—their sexual practices, feasts and sports, tastes in books and music, houses and gardens.

Stimulating and tumultuous, the court of Henry VIII attracted the finest minds and greatest beauties in Renaissance England—poets Wyatt and Surrey, the great portraitist Hans Holbein, "feasting ladies" like Elizabeth Blount and Elizabeth FitzWalter, the newly rich Boleyn family and the ancient aristocratic clans like the Howards and the Percies, along with the entourages and connections that came and went with each successive wife. The interactions between these individuals, and the terrible ends that befell so many of them, make Henry VIII: The King and His Court an absolutely spellbinding read.

Meticulous in historic detail, narrated with high style and grand drama, Alison Weir brilliantly brings to life the king, the court, and the fascinating men and women who vied for its pleasures and rewards.

NOTE: This edition does not contain illustrations.(less)

ebook, 656 pages

Published December 18th 2007 by Ballantine Books (first published May 1st 2001)

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Feb 04, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before you read any book about Henry VIII or his wives I would strongly recommend that you stop and read this book first. Throughout this book Weir not only looks at who Henry VIII was, the man and the life he lead, but she also paints a detailed, intricate picture of the world in which he lived.

Weir starts her book at the death of Henry VII in 1509 and then begins to paint a portrait of the world in which Henry VIII ascended to the throne. She spends the first part of the book intricately detai...more Before you read any book about Henry VIII or his wives I would strongly recommend that you stop and read this book first. Throughout this book Weir not only looks at who Henry VIII was, the man and the life he lead, but she also paints a detailed, intricate picture of the world in which he lived.

Weir starts her book at the death of Henry VII in 1509 and then begins to paint a portrait of the world in which Henry VIII ascended to the throne. She spends the first part of the book intricately detailing every aspect of life in the Tudor period under Henry VIII. She looks at those who were privileged enough to be part of the Privy chamber, the Grooms and pages whom were honoured to spend much of their time with the King. Not only were they able to serve his Majesty, but they were able to spend long hours playing cards with him, hunting, gambling, hawking, listening to music etc. etc. Weir describes what life was like for these men, the clothing they wore, their responsibilities and the ups and downs of being so close to the King. On one hand it might be a great honour and privilege to spend so much time with the King - being so close to his ear and being able to influence his decisions. But on the other hand those members of the Privy chamber were also susceptible to the King’s outbursts of violent rage; beatings and factions about court which sought to bring them down and oust them from their roles.

Weir goes onto to describe all the roles of those at court - pages, servers of food, members of the kitchen staff, cooks, gardeners, those that looked after horses and other animals, people who controlled the Kingdom’s money and ran offices, builders, project designers, painters, artists, musicians… the list goes on and on. Each role and position within the court, from the lowliest to the highest is described in intricate detail. Weir writes with such beautiful portrayal that when one reads amazing images of splendour and horror flood the mind. There is so much detail that I would advise anyone whom reads this book to take their time, re read sections if needed so that you can gain a full and clear understanding of each job role.

Also within the pages of this book are details about the expectations at court, again from the King whom sits above all, down to the lowest boy who turns the spits to roast meat. Everything from the way the King ordered his food, what he ate and when, how food was prepared, who served him food and how, is described in intricate detail. There were so many rules during Henry’s reign that I am utterly stunned how anyone could remember them all. So many expectations, social rules, different standards for different people that it literally must have been a mind field to try and organise the whole court! It is amazing to me that not only did every member of court know their roles and responsibilities, but was also able to adhere to them to keep a court of literally hundreds upon hundreds of people running effectively!

As she goes through Henry’s reign, Weir talks about those men and woman whom came in and out of Henry’s life. She talks about Henry’s wives – although not in as great detail as other authors have. The reason I presume for this is that Weir has written a book devoted to Henry VIII’s wives entitled “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” (which is an absolutely excellent and incredibly detailed book in its own right!). Weir also talks about the men (and few women) at court who all played roles in Henry’s life, both positively and negatively. I love the relationships between Henry and his companions. Through these intricate and sometimes volatile relationships we can see what sort of man Henry was. In his youth he was the happy go lucky King; full of life and zest, loving sports, gambling and women. His friendships and those whom he included at court reflected this with an influx of ‘new men’ – men who did not necessarily have noble blood running through their veins. Through his friendships we are able to see how as Henry aged he relied less and less on others to make decisions for him, how his anger, jealousy and sense of self importance grew. Throughout Henry VIII’s life men came and men went, some with great honours and dignity, some without their heads. It seems as though that to be at court was to put one’s life at risk!

On a personal note I was greatly pleased to read more about Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. This is a man whom has captured my interest. Here is a man whom had been friends with Henry since their youths. He grew in favour and importance at court, committed treason by marrying Henry’s sister without his permission, was forced to pay an exuberant amount of money in compensation (which was greatly reduced after Mary died), yet received more and more titles, land and responsibilities throughout his life. When he died Henry stated that ‘for as long as Suffolk had served him, he had never betrayed a friend or knowingly taken unfair advantage of an enemy’ (Weir 2001, p. 485). Henry Tudor, especially in his later years, could be a volatile, unpredictable, temperamental and yet despite this Charles Brandon managed to not only keep his King’s friendship but to grow in favour – to me this is amazing!

Weir covers the last ten years of Henry VIII’s life in about one hundred pages. I found myself wishing that these years were expanded upon in a little more detail. During this period Henry went through four wives, built the lavish palace of Nonsuch, continued the reformation, laid siege to France, executed people for heresy, had failing health, faced his mortality, wrote his will and departed the world. There is so much that happened to Henry, his family, friends, the English court and England in general during this period that on a personal note I would have liked these events to have been covered in some more detail.

As I stated at the beginning of this review, I would strongly recommend that one read ‘Henry VIII King & Court’ before they read any other book about Henry VIII or his wives. Throughout the pages of this book Weir constructs vivid and beautiful images of the world and life that was Henry VIII. The reader is left with a strong understanding and knowledge not only about the larger than life Henry Tudor, but also about the people in his life, social expectations, his court and his country. This is another stunningly written book by Alison Weir and it was a joy to read.
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Jul 16, 2012 Donna added it · review of another edition

Long, but a well researched book. Gives many reasonable explanations for the rages Henry seemed to experience as he aged. Good detail as to what the various illnesses and injuries that plagued him were and some needed such a basic remedy that if available, would have changed some things. If only there had been better medical care, so much suffering for unknown reasons could have been avoided. Had a difficult time keeping an idea of what year it was at times and all his subsequent marriages seeme...more

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Jun 22, 2010 Erik rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my very first book by Weir to have picked up and read, even after having come across her voluminous histories on the English kings and queens for well over a decade now. (Something about densely packed historical non-fiction used to scare me off.) And the titular subject of this book is one that I have long held a certain fascination with, ever since tearing my way through Margaret George’s engrossing The Autobiography of Henry VIII. (HBO’s The Tudors certainly help quench my thirst for...more

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Jun 16, 2009 Steven Peterson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In one sense, I am at a disadvantage in assessing this volume. I am not an historian of this era, so I cannot confidently judge well the accuracy of Alison Weir's rendering of events and people.

That said, I am most impressed with this work. The author covers many aspects of English history--including day-to-day life--of the time. We read of medical practice (ugh), music, art, architecture, customs, drama, clothing, sports (e.g., hunting, archery, tennis, jousting, and so on), the internecine po...more In one sense, I am at a disadvantage in assessing this volume. I am not an historian of this era, so I cannot confidently judge well the accuracy of Alison Weir's rendering of events and people.

That said, I am most impressed with this work. The author covers many aspects of English history--including day-to-day life--of the time. We read of medical practice (ugh), music, art, architecture, customs, drama, clothing, sports (e.g., hunting, archery, tennis, jousting, and so on), the internecine politics (when losers could lose their lives; politics was serious business), and the relationships among families in England of the era. This book is as much about the country at that time as about Henry VIII.

Henry VIII is portrayed in great detail. This is not a Charles Laughton view of the king. It is much more nuanced. It is true that, if Weir be correct, Henry became more rigid and unforgiving and vain and distrusting and autocratic as he aged. He drove England close to financial ruin with his wars (which often had little effect, even though costing much) and with his incessant building projects (his own palaces as one key example).But this should not detract from other of his accomplishments. He supported the arts; he was one of the more educated and intellectually oriented monarchs of the time. It may be that Weir romanticizes him to some extent, and that ought to be noted. But his was not simply a dissipated period in English history.

Of course, many would wonder about his rendering of the multitudinous wives of the monarch. Weir does spend time on this part of his life, including the Machiavellian politics associated with Henry's marriages (factions would use potential wives as pawns in power struggles). Weir's assessments of the various wives are pretty fair. We might be surprised to know of his affection for Katherine of Aragon; it is fascinating to watch the pas de deux between Anne Boleyn and Henry before their wedding; and so on.

Then, the descriptions of the hard ball politics of the era--featuring actors such as Wolsey, Cromwell, More, Cranmer, and the nobles of the time.

All in all, an accessible and very readable work on Henry VIII and his time. I'd strongly recommend. . . . (less)

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Jul 31, 2009 Luv_trinity rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Jul 23, 2011 Caroline rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: english-history

I always enjoy Alison Weir's books - she has a lively, engaging style and a knack for bringing both her subjects and the world they lived in truly to life, and this book is no exception. Henry VIII is a larger than life figure anyway: after all, every schoolchild grows up knowing 'divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived'. But there was a lot more to the man than the simple stereotype of a fat, bloated tyrant who chopped his wives' heads off. Charting his evolution from a handsome...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Pete daPixie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-anglorum-rex, history-tudor

I have to rate Alison Weir's 'Henry VIII-King and Court' a five star read. You get exactly what it says on the tin. A vast and fully comprehensive work, covering over five hundred pages, along with the obligatory sixty pages of notes.
As the author states in her introduction, this is not a political history of the reign, her brief here is to record the events that help to build up a picture of the life and ethos of the King and the court. The reader of Tudor history may well have to go elsewhere...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-read-in-adulthood, non-fiction-ish, on-loan

This book actually rates 3.5 stars, but as before, I tend to round up. The main issue I had with this book is that it wasn't one where I could just sit down and start reading. The first several chapters dealt with the court and fashion and everything else, and so it seemed to me that the author expected her readers to have a more-than-passing acquaintance with things like architectural terms. She talks about donjons, Perpendicular architecture and so many other things that there were sections th...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-medeval-european-british-en, the-royal-challenge

I liked this book because it concentrates on how Henry VIII fashioned England from a Medieval Kingdom into a modern Nation State; with all the good and bad that this entails. Many do not realize that Henry VIII was the founder of the British Royal Navy.

The divorce from Catherine of Aragon is chronicled for the impact it had on the Reformation and England's relations with Europe. Would this modernization have taken place without the Great Matter? When you read this book you will have an opinion.

...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Manitowoc Public Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: stacie

I would have given this book at least a 4 star rating, but the numerous in-depth descriptions of clothing, jewelry, and palaces took up way too much of the book for my tastes. Also, the timeline tends to jump around as the chapters are topically based (such as palaces, art, etc.). I would say the first third of the book is setting description. I was excited once I got past that, but the book still continued to go in-depth at times as to expenditures, housing improvements, jewelry, etc. I can't t...more

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Mar 01, 2009 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was quite interesting once I was 1/2 way in. The beginning was v e r y slow, giving lists of all the properties Henry inherited, how many men had the right to empty his chamberpot at different times, etc. Once the (long) first chapters were over, the reading got better and focused more on Henry's reign, as opposed to Tudor court life. A major critique for the casual reader is that Weir was not consistent enough in using people's names. Sometimes she would use a first name, sometimes a last...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

Just over 500 years since Henry VIII became king his legacy and story is still able to amaze and his reputation remains hotly debated. Given that this book is about the king and his court there is a lot of detail here about official expenditure on running costs and capital spending. At times this can be quite dull for the reader who is more interested in the goings on of the court personnel than their belongings, but perhaps that reader would be better served by purchasing a less in-depth analys...more Just over 500 years since Henry VIII became king his legacy and story is still able to amaze and his reputation remains hotly debated. Given that this book is about the king and his court there is a lot of detail here about official expenditure on running costs and capital spending. At times this can be quite dull for the reader who is more interested in the goings on of the court personnel than their belongings, but perhaps that reader would be better served by purchasing a less in-depth analysis in the first place.

Obviously there is plenty here regarding the nature of Henry’s relationship with his court subjects and variety of wives, his early romantic nature and slow progress towards the well known later tyrant. Unfortunately the author seems to become bored with her subject after Anne Boleyn’s beheading, with the following four wives dealt with in around 100 pages. The schism created by Henry’s divorce from Katherine of Aragon and subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn is the key event in Tudor history, possibly British history itself and it is easy to be caught up in the seriousness of this situation at the expense of others.

As a result this is a comprehensive study of Henry and his court up to around 1536 when Anne was beheaded. Any serious events are still covered, but briefly; Henry’s progress to the north with his fifth wife Katherine Howard is dealt with in a couple of pages, whereas it was on this trip that Katherine’s adultery becomes apparent, a serious enough event to warrant more in-depth analysis one might think. Similarly the later battles with France towards the end of Henry’s reign when the Mary Rose sank, devastating Henry is barely mentioned. It’s a shame because the author writes brilliantly when she gets on to a subject she likes, perhaps this is a selfishness above professionalism. For anyone wanting to understand Henry’s early reign and first two marriages this is a terrific book, but beyond that more exploration of the available literature may be required.(less)

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Aug 29, 2010 Stephanie Conklin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

England, kings, queens and Alison Weir have been a winning combination for me. Yet, I could not get past page 120 in this biography of Henry VIII. Weir mentions in the beginning that her book focuses on the pageantry of this essential Tudor era monarch; she wasn't lying. There were so many descriptions of doublets, castles, rugs, etc. that I could not even get into the life of Henry VIII. The chronology of his life is confusing and the detailed descriptions of his court distract from the story o...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Tianna Clark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish and i learned alot about the Tudor court and how KIng Henry influenced alot of different things from introducing padded furniture to England to creating the Church of England. It is a very good read and Alison Weir brings history to life in an interesting way so that it is never a bore to read unlike some history books that just give out fact after facts. This book is more written is storyish format which makes it more interesting.I often reference...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Sylver Blaque rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Exhaustively researched, to the point of having to put it aside for a bit and reading something else. But the detail is quite interesting. And I do mean detail - extending from minutia outward, leaving no question unanswered, no vision incomplete. It's really impressive that she completed this volume at all given the depth of every detail provided. However, it is a great read - interesting, titillating, at times even suspenseful - but definitely not in one sitting. The story is there and it's ab...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Pamela Hesson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Because I watched the Showtime saga, The Tudors, I picked up this book to check the historical accuracy of the show. The book brought Henry VIII and his reign to life with all the magnificent drama of that time period. It was amazing to me how much research must have gone into the writing of the book and that so much information remains today about Henry, his wives, his children, and his court. I usually shy away from historical books, but this one was completely engrossing, well written, and fu...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As the author, Alison Weir, makes clear in the introduction, the first third of Henry VIII: The King and His Court is a comprehensive description of the time period. The remaining sections are a chronological retelling of the King’s life, primarily the happenings around his royal court. This is not a retelling of England’s major historical events, the King’s specific policy decisions, or other significant crisis and wars of the period. The book offers rich details about Henry’s estates, palaces,...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Nadine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-history

She gave all the answers to the questions I've always had about how courts were provided for, how they ran, how they lived, etc. For someone who is not interested it would seem like a lot of useless information, but I found it fascinating. This info. took up about half of the book even though it was sort of in chronological order. Though this made sense - Henry VIII didn't govern much in the early part of his reign (he left that to his council). It focused more on Henry VIII himself rather than...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good overview of the man. If you're interested in a specific period or just certain aspects of his life/reign (ex: wives) you might want a more targeted book. I liked that this book was easy to read and not as dry as a lot of non-fiction. He is a heavy subject and an author less considerate of her audience would have made this book more of a slog. I tend to forget that his sons lived beyond their infancy so this was a good reminder of that. I did not realize that so few physical objects survived...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Tien Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Alison Weir's "Henry VIII: The King and His Court" has earned my respect and a 5 star rating.

Many have heard the story of the famous King Henry VIII of England- He had six wives, changed the religion of England and desired a male heir. Before getting into the background story of the six wives, I strongly believe that researchers need to read this book first.

Alison Weir not only discusses the tragic story of Henry VII and his six wives, but she also goes into depth with their entire court; landsc...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Arukiyomi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There, in a charity shop, completely unblemished as in a proper bookshop, lay Weir’s encylopaedic description of one of the most magnificent courts of English royalty. And it was mine for only 95p.

I’ve not read any of Weir’s books before. She’s written about pretty much every Tudor monarch or individual connected with Tudor monarchy you can think of. I used to read books like this all the time but the 1001 list has my heart set on novels. Because this was immaculate and a tenth of the price it w...more There, in a charity shop, completely unblemished as in a proper bookshop, lay Weir’s encylopaedic description of one of the most magnificent courts of English royalty. And it was mine for only 95p.

I’ve not read any of Weir’s books before. She’s written about pretty much every Tudor monarch or individual connected with Tudor monarchy you can think of. I used to read books like this all the time but the 1001 list has my heart set on novels. Because this was immaculate and a tenth of the price it was supposed to be, I snapped it up though. It sat well with my reading of Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies.

There are plenty of reviews out there which complain that this book isn’t actually about Henry VIII at all. They complain that it’s hard to find the king, buried as he is under the detailed descriptions of the world he inhabited. Having read the book, I agree. This book should really be entitled The Court of Henry VIII.

But that didn’t bother me too much. I wasn’t after a blow by blow description of his life. I was after a description of the times, and although the book was mis-named, I tried not to let this distract me from what is after all a good history.

There’s not much narrative thread though, and readers should be forgiven for thinking that because the opening line starts with the death of Henry VII they’re going to get a chronicle of the next 40 years. They’re not. What they do get are just over 500 pages split into 63 chapters. This works out at just under 8 pages a chapter. While this seems quite short, the book is printed in something like 5pt font. And each of these chapters deals with a different facet of the court. I’ll admit, I found it slow going.

But it wasn’t slow going in the way a plate of broad beans is slow going. This was slow going in the way treacle pudding with custard is slow going. You want to take your time. You want to gaze on the awesome jewel-encrusted splendour before you, to soak yourself in the sumptuous riches of cloth of gold, velvet and syphilis.

Wait, no! He didn’t have syphilis! This is a common myth and one of many that Weir debunks in her attempt to get at the truth behind a man who was very much larger than life. In the end, he appears as one who ruled according to the beliefs of his day. Let’s not forget that these shifted like the sands of the Thames estuary and doomed many who attempted the passage.

Henry was a magnificent statesman, of that there is no doubt. He may well have even been the preeminent one of his day. But he was a product of his time and Weir shows this very well. It is a flattering portrayal.

However, like the wardrobes of the day, Weir’s writing is weighed down by almost ludicrous attention to detail. There are more characters in here than a Russian epic and it’s hard to keep track sometimes of who is central to the events described. There are long lists of things, clothes, purchases, buildings, gifts, animals, etc., etc. It’s all a bit too much sometimes.

If you are a fan of the Tudors and not too much of a fan of Henry, you’re going to love this. If you are after a more traditional biography of Henry himself, be warned that this might be a frustrating read.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-political-or-biography, read-in-2012, read-in-2013

Educational but a slog in long parts. Much of this book (particularly the first half) is much more concerned with details of court life, rather than straight forward history. This type of thing was very, very dry and would appeal to someone much more interested in the minutiae of this era than someone such as me who was more concerned with big picture history (which this book has plenty of too, in fairness)

Henry VIII’s assumption of reign as King of England at age of 17

Renaissance man of knowled...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Noe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: clectores

Reconozco que el personaje de Henry VIII me llamó la atención a partir de ver la serie "Los Tudor". Aprovechándose del tirón televisivo, se reeditó esta biografía (a cargo de una señora que es especialista en el tema) poniendo al protagonista en la portada, que llama mucho más que el original, dónde va a parar...

La palabra que define este libro es completo. Es más, al principio da tantos detalles sobre la época (artes, gastronomía... TODO) que resulta un poco aburrido. Llegas a la página cien y...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Orsolya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, tudor-england, own, henry-viii

What can really be said about Henry VIII which us Tudor obsessees don't know? Well, unless "Great Harry" comes back to life and personally answers some of our most burning questions; not much.

However, Alison Weir explores a different route in Henry VIII: The King and His Court. Unlike her usual novels which focus on a single event(s) or feature the biography/portrait of a historical figure; this book can be described as an entire Henry VIII museum wrapped into the confines of a book. Meaning: t...more What can really be said about Henry VIII which us Tudor obsessees don't know? Well, unless "Great Harry" comes back to life and personally answers some of our most burning questions; not much.

However, Alison Weir explores a different route in Henry VIII: The King and His Court. Unlike her usual novels which focus on a single event(s) or feature the biography/portrait of a historical figure; this book can be described as an entire Henry VIII museum wrapped into the confines of a book. Meaning: the same way that a museum exhibit would feature artifacts and smaller singular factoids, this novel also presents smaller glimpses into the Tudor court which you may have no experienced before. Yet, the entire novel is better if you are new to Henry VIII or seeking a refresher course. Not necessarily suggested for avid Henrican buffs. In fact, sometimes the book sadly is too dry and even at times, pointless.

The King and His Court is divided into two parts, in a sense. The first features a very informative view of the background life at court. This describes logistical details and a “behind the scenes” look while the second half the book is more in the realm of depicting actual events (more like Weir’s “regular” history books although it sometimes read like a research paper). Don’t expect too much on the wives, as Weir emphasizes in the foreword that this topic would not be covered in its entirety, although the King’s “Great Matter” is covered with a moderate chunk, as is Anne Boleyn’s downfall.

The first part of the book could have been a “go-to” for the researchers who worked on the Tudors TV series. Everything you need to know about background and “props” (furniture, household logistics, and administrative members) is answered in this section. Extensive details from games played to how many dogs a courtier could own, to what time one could defecate; is explored. Okay, the last one is an exaggeration but that is how detailed the research on Tudor life Weir presented. On the contrary, this can cause dragging and at some points too much focus on the decorum of the court.

There were valuable eye-openers. The chapter on “feeding the court” was remarkable. The amount of food and logistics which went into meal times is fascinating. Even more so, is the fact that records still exist of these details, even centuries later. The Field of Cloth of Gold was also deliciously well- described in its entire splendor. One of my favorite highlights was the story of how Henry gained the title “Defender of the Faith”. Although I am very familiar with the famous title which he made a hereditary term, it wasn’t necessarily explained clearly in previous works I have read.

Another pleasing factor was the included information on “secondary” individuals at court such as the Horenbouts (Gerard, Lucas, and Susanna) – the court illuminators— and other artists like the well-known Hans Holbein. However, I would have liked more passages on the fool we all know and love, Will Somers since he was in the court picture for 20 years.

Some parts of the book were too exhaustive in details and seemed like Weir just wanted to show-off her depth of research. At some points, I just wanted it to end, already. Weir would also repeat phrases which stuck-out like, “…good son of the church that he was…” when speaking about Henry. Either she was trying to hard to solidify the irony or she didn’t have a great editor. Plus, I was REALLY angered on page 296, paragraph 3, when I encountered the sentence, “It is was to Chapuys that Sir Nicholas Carew revealed his growing sympathy for the Queen and Princess Mary”. Even my Microsoft Word Spell Check just underlined and caught the “it is was” error, how did Weir and her editor miss it?!

It is very interesting to lean about the culture and art of the court (even the propaganda) in place during the Henrican events versus just the events, themselves. A different view can be refreshing and you will certainly learn some interesting factoids to impress people with (I know this for a fact as I lightly mentioned facts to my boyfriend daily while reading this book). Although Henry buffs may skim some areas, it is certainly worth a glance.(less)

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Sep 02, 2012 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tudors, history, non-fiction, biography

Less of a strict history and more of an overview of what the court of Henry VIII was like and how he was as a ruler.

I can easily see people reading this book to find out more about Henry VIII, but being disappointed because it wasn't want they were expecting. This book focuses on Henry VIII the man and king, not the tyrant that killed and divorced wives. This book had a lot of detail, but still managed to be interesting. I did have a tendency to skip over lists of people. There was a general ch...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Nicole R rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, memoir-biography, 2011

I really liked it. It covers Henry’s life and what his court was like.

It was interesting to learn more about Henry himself, since I tend to read about everyone else from that time period. I learned a few things: he was obsessed with cleanliness, discreet, and had an increasing desire for privacy. Also interesting was that Will Somers, who was the court fool, never tried to take advantage of his friendship with the king.

It was hard to get through, mostly because it was long. It helped that Weir...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Mary Bloodworth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided to read a book about Henry VIII after reading The Other Boleyn Girl, which turned out to be a godawful bodice-ripper romance novel, and so I wanted to get something a bit more fact-based. This was that book, and from what I can tell Alison Weir is a well-respected author. It was also for sale in my office's gift shop.

Wow was there a lot of stuff in this book. It almost felt at times like the narrative was flying by, barely scratching the surface, and at 500 pages covering a 38-year rei...more

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Feb 09, 2010 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This biography is very impressive. In general I think Alison Weir is a fabulous biographer. Her research is very thorough and her writing isn't so full of details that you get lost. However, she has completely outdone herself with this book. I have read several books about the six wives of Henry VIII, but never a biography of his own life so this was a treat.

I always thought of Henry VIII as some egotistical monster that liked divorcing or beheading his wives so that he could move on to his nex...more This biography is very impressive. In general I think Alison Weir is a fabulous biographer. Her research is very thorough and her writing isn't so full of details that you get lost. However, she has completely outdone herself with this book. I have read several books about the six wives of Henry VIII, but never a biography of his own life so this was a treat.

I always thought of Henry VIII as some egotistical monster that liked divorcing or beheading his wives so that he could move on to his next catch. Yes, he had an ego, a big one, but he wasn't a monster. He was influenced by so many things, his upbringing, his religious beliefs, and especially that of his personal counselors. I always thought of him as a one man show being king and head of the Church of England after he left the Catholic faith, but it wasn't that way at all. I didn't realize the impact that his counselors had on his decisions until I read this book. Anne Boylen wasn't taken down by Henry, she was taken down by his closest counselor, who didn't like her and wanted her gone. So he made her into an adulterer and a traitor, two things that she was not.

I love how the author puts you into Henry's world by describing how the court worked, what he ate, where he slept, what his rooms were like, what the houses/castles he lived in were like and what he wore. His daily life is very well described and is easy to imagine.

It was also interesting to find out more about what kind of person he was. He was extremely intelligent and talented. He was a marvel at sports of all kinds, played musical instruments, wrote music and poems and was very well educated. He was also a charmer and knew how to put on a good show. He had a big temper as well so everyone around him had to be careful about what they said or did in order to not incur his wrath.

He was very fit and active until he started to have a recurring infection in his legs that would send him to bed for weeks on end and eventually took his life. After the infection began he started putting on weight and it made his condition even worse. They don't really know what happened to him the last few weeks of his life as he was in almost total seclusion and no one let any information out about what was going on. So the cause of death can only be speculated at. His death was kept a secret for two days after he died.

Fabulous book. If you want to understand Henry VIII, read this. Definitely a different perspective than I had anticipated.(less)

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May 18, 2008 Heather Knight rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I will admit, I read this biography because I was intrigued by what I saw on Showtime's The Tudors and wanted to see how closely it mirrored "the truth." In particular, I found it odd that Henry could seem so genuinely troubled by his religious convictions at the same time that he was so obviously conniving for new wives.

What I learned was that Tudor England was a very different time, both religiously and in terms what leaders could and did do. At the birth of the Reformation, people were more...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An historical biography of the famous king, in all his pomp and glory. Filled with interesting anecdotes, but these do tend to get a little swallowed up by the seemingly endless lists of manors he obtained and/or refurbished, and by descriptions of the clothes worn by him, his queens and his courtiers. Still, the memory of the anecdotes remains, even if the details disappear, and that memory is a good one. I'm sure I learned a lot, and this will slowly emerge over time in random conversations. 3...more

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About Alison Weir

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her...more

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