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4th out of 33 books
—
11 voters
Catherine of Aragon: The Spanish Queen of Henry VIII
The youngest child of the legendary monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) was born to marry for dynastic gain. Endowed with English royal blood on her mother's side, she was betrothed in infancy to Arthur, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VII of England, an alliance that greatly benefited both sides. Yet Arthur died weeks after their...more
Hardcover, 448 pages
Published
November 23rd 2010
by Walker & Company
(first published November 1st 2010)
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I started this biography with a very clear notion of what I did not want: merely another rehearsal of the same events and anecdotes of "the King's Great Matter" that has been recounted or fictionalized countless times. Too often, Catherine of Aragon in these accounts is treated--that infamous wedding night with Prince Arthur aside--as if she quite simply sprang into existence the moment Henry VIII decided their marriage was over. The backstory--where this woman came from, how she came to be who...more
Every year as my mind turns to thoughts of Scarborough Faire, the local Ren Fair set in Elizabethan times, I find myself reading up on the time period. I went to the library for Spring Break and found a new biography with a new viewpoint.
Giles Tremlett gained access to the Spanish archives while living in Spain. Through the archives he found the papers regarding Henry VIII's first wife. Normally when we read about Catherine, her life is based on English history with English biases. With this boo...more
Giles Tremlett gained access to the Spanish archives while living in Spain. Through the archives he found the papers regarding Henry VIII's first wife. Normally when we read about Catherine, her life is based on English history with English biases. With this boo...more
This is an excellent historical portrait of a most interesting woman. I learned a lot about her personality, her character and the really insulting way she was treated by Henry, once he had his eye on Anne Boleyn.
Catherine was stubborn, no doubt, but she had principles. She maintained her legitimacy to her death (by natural causes) at the age of 50. Her management of a difficult and painful situation changed the course of English (indeed European) history. Her response to Henry's pursuit of ann...more
Catherine was stubborn, no doubt, but she had principles. She maintained her legitimacy to her death (by natural causes) at the age of 50. Her management of a difficult and painful situation changed the course of English (indeed European) history. Her response to Henry's pursuit of ann...more
Whew, glad I wasn't so far off of the other reviewers on this one--was a bit nervous that I would be. This book is excellent, truly, for the general readership of the Tudor era. It is clearly written, provides enough background without being overwhelming and presents the “King’s Great Matter” in a straight forward way. For anyone more familiar with this time period, you will not learn anything new. Goodness, that sounds pompous but I don’t mean to be—just that I have read a great from the Tudor...more
This was a very interesting take on Henry VIII's long suffering queen. What I liked about it was it came across unbiased. Though she is a sympathetic historical figure, a lot of the biographies I read of her skew a lot of facts, and add in unnecessarily biting commentary about Anne Boleyn (because it really takes two to tango and King Henry should get just as much shit, if not more, as her if you're going to do it).
This is the first biography I have read of her that brings up her being (possibl...more
This is the first biography I have read of her that brings up her being (possibl...more
Aside from a bit of backtracking within chapters, which could be confusing if you weren't paying attention, I really enjoyed this biography. I've always thought Catherine got a raw deal from Henry but I sort of empathized with Henry's desperate need for a son. Somehow in this book the need for a son comes very late in the book and Henry is portrayed as just a mass of lust. Catherine went into menopause very early according to this book and then it all gets confusing. I still think she got a raw...more
An in depth and informative biography about Catherine of Aragon that shows how strong she was and how tragic her life became.
Most of my knowledge about Catherine of Aragon comes from her time as Henry VIII's wife. And most of that knowledge is about her reaction to Anne Boleyn and being divorced. I had read The Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory a while back and that was my first introduction to Catherine. I wasn't a big fan of the book nor was I a fan of Catherine. I know that historical fi...more
Most of my knowledge about Catherine of Aragon comes from her time as Henry VIII's wife. And most of that knowledge is about her reaction to Anne Boleyn and being divorced. I had read The Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory a while back and that was my first introduction to Catherine. I wasn't a big fan of the book nor was I a fan of Catherine. I know that historical fi...more
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This is an interesting and useful examination of a pivotal moment in European and English history. It goes into more detail than I recall from Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII or Henry VIII: The King and His Court. (Though I'd say that these books are useful background.) Tremlett also consults Spanish sources which (as I recall) Weir did not.
More like 3.5 stars. The things that stopped me from giving it four stars are some instances of word confusion (mother instead of father when refer...more
More like 3.5 stars. The things that stopped me from giving it four stars are some instances of word confusion (mother instead of father when refer...more
This is a brilliantly well researched book. Starting from Katherine's early life in Spain, being brought up by her two formidable parents Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabel of Castile, it is easy to see where she inherited her determined and strong personality.
From her first marriage to Henry VIII's elder brother Arthur, and what actually happened during that short time (the sources are very conflicted depending on whose side the writer was on) to her years stuck in England before she could marry H...more
From her first marriage to Henry VIII's elder brother Arthur, and what actually happened during that short time (the sources are very conflicted depending on whose side the writer was on) to her years stuck in England before she could marry H...more
I'm a Tudor history junkie. My mom started me on Jean Plaidy practically in the crib, and I've never looked back.
This is the first truly sympathetic, in depth portrait of Catherine that I've read. It was so interesting to read the other side of the glamorous, scandalous Great Matter of the King. Because Elisabeth I was so beloved and ruled so wisely and long, the world tends to focus on her doomed, tragic, pathetic mother, and Bloody Mary's mom gets relegated to the dowdy impediment to the birt...more
This is the first truly sympathetic, in depth portrait of Catherine that I've read. It was so interesting to read the other side of the glamorous, scandalous Great Matter of the King. Because Elisabeth I was so beloved and ruled so wisely and long, the world tends to focus on her doomed, tragic, pathetic mother, and Bloody Mary's mom gets relegated to the dowdy impediment to the birt...more
I bought this book at Heathrow looking for something to while some time away during a 24 hour flight. And I was hooked – the normal inflight entertainment didn’t stand a chance.
The book is well written and very readable. It provides a lot of background information on Catherine’s parents and the situation in Spain and her early years in England, all of which shaped her character. The passages about Catherine’s youth in Spain and the descriptions of the scenery and palaces, especially the Alhambra...more
The book is well written and very readable. It provides a lot of background information on Catherine’s parents and the situation in Spain and her early years in England, all of which shaped her character. The passages about Catherine’s youth in Spain and the descriptions of the scenery and palaces, especially the Alhambra...more
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I have ready many books on the Six Wives of Henry the VIII and have seen many adaptations and the wife that has always captured my interest was Katherine of Aragon. Mainly because there was so little put into her and after Anne Boleyn arrives she sort of takes over the narrative. Unfortunately, biographies on Katherine were limited and outdated. This is the first one to appear in nearly fifty years.
I enjoyed reading this because it only presented the facts and allowed us to make our own minds a...more
I enjoyed reading this because it only presented the facts and allowed us to make our own minds a...more
I found the new documentation of what Spanish witnesses said in the Spanish held trial of the "King's great matter" interesting since it is new info. However, it certainly isn't surprising that the Spaniards supported Catherine's side of the argument and the English supported Henry's side. I would say it adds a little weight to believing Catherine as opposed to Henry. Otherwise, I didn't find much new info in this book on Catherine. It was interesting the connection made between her strong mothe...more
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A sympathetic biography of Henry's first queen, a stranger in a strange land who had to navigate not only the perils of the sea but the politics of a court and newly established dynasty whilst balancing the expectations of her parents and the realities of her new life. Not previously much enamoured of Catherine, I was by the end of it a convert - how she held out against the threats, blandishments and bribes of Henry's henchmen can only have happened at huge personal cost to her peace of mind -...more
Deep, fascinating and lush history of a woman I knew shamefully little of despite being so familiar with her story. She was married to Henry VIII for almost 20 years, and fought his efforts to divorce her every step of the way, with cunning and skill that flummoxed him to madness. The book, like most biographies of medieva women (or possibly life in general, which is too depressing to contemplate at length) suffers from a less than thrilling conclusion, but that's a function of the sadness of Ca...more
I would bump this book up to three stars for someone who hasn't read much about the Tudors and is looking for an introduction into Catherine of Aragon. Otherwise, it really does not add much of anything new until the Afterward (when the author appears to have stumbled on a theory of Catherine's pacifism by accident, which would have been much more interesting as a thesis throughout the book). The writing is fine for the most part, but I had higher hopes given that there had not been a stand-alon...more
The youngest child of the legendary monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) was born to marry for dynastic gain. Endowed with English royal blood on her mother's side, she was betrothed in infancy to Arthur, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VII of England, an alliance that greatly benefited both sides. Yet Arthur died weeks after their marriage in 1501, and Catherine found herself remarried to his younger brother, soon to become Henry VIII. The history of En...more
This book may be unique in English-language historical literature; at least, I can't think of another like it. There are many, many books about Henry VIII, or the six wives of Henry VIII, or Anne Boleyn (Catherine of Aragon's successor/usurper), but I can't think of a single full-length biography of Catherine herself. Most of the books about Henry's wives act as if she only stepped onto the scene when Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn. This covers her entire life, beginning with the background...more
Okay, it's not The Tudors...it's BETTER.
I will admit that I picked up this because while -- nay, because! -- my husband and I were watching season two of The Tudors. I didn't want to have an I've-seen-the-movie-but-I-haven't-read-the-book scenario, and I feel that I enjoyed both the book and the film more because I experienced them simultaneously.
For a nonfiction book, this was a quick, enjoyable read. I loved the background on Catherine of Aragon and her illustrious ancestors. I loved the des...more
I will admit that I picked up this because while -- nay, because! -- my husband and I were watching season two of The Tudors. I didn't want to have an I've-seen-the-movie-but-I-haven't-read-the-book scenario, and I feel that I enjoyed both the book and the film more because I experienced them simultaneously.
For a nonfiction book, this was a quick, enjoyable read. I loved the background on Catherine of Aragon and her illustrious ancestors. I loved the des...more
This is my first book review so, I hope this goes well! I've had way too much coffee and too little sleep and I do believe you can really tell! Next time I write a book review, I think I'm going to go with way too much wine, just to spice things up a bit. ;)There may be some...a billion.. spoilers, so read with caution. Can you really spoil history though?
This book seemed very anti-Boleyn to me. Giles Tremlett often refers to Anne as "Boleyn". I have been an Anne Boleyn fan since Natalie Dormer...more
This book seemed very anti-Boleyn to me. Giles Tremlett often refers to Anne as "Boleyn". I have been an Anne Boleyn fan since Natalie Dormer...more
I have read many biographies on the Queens of Henry VIII, but never an entire work devoted to only Catherine of Aragon. Tremlett does not portray Catherine as many have come to see her, as the angel wife who was set aside for a seductress. The beginning of the work starts with Catherine's parents, explaining the importance of the marriage of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. Catherine's childhood is then written out, the influence of her mother is greatly stressed. Her religion too, c...more
After reading this book, one has to wonder that any Renaissance Queen ended up sane (or later ones, either). The responsibilities and duties laid upon them certainly made any chance at personal happiness unlikely. Add to that any individual personality quirks of Queen AND her spouse and you've got Trouble right here in River City.
Of course, I as a reader am looking at Catherine's situation through layers of history and changing times. Giles Tremlett has opened up the world of Catherine's Spain a...more
Of course, I as a reader am looking at Catherine's situation through layers of history and changing times. Giles Tremlett has opened up the world of Catherine's Spain a...more
I really enjoyed this interpretation of the life of Catherine of Aragon. We get an insight into her childhood and how the influence of her parents was stamped upon her from an early age - and in the midst of Henry's "Great Matter" we see the re-emergence of this parental influence in her stubborness and her new found political acumen.
I found this to be not overly biased in Catherine's favour - we see her both at her best and her worst. We see how, like her own childhood, Catherine was an importa...more
I found this to be not overly biased in Catherine's favour - we see her both at her best and her worst. We see how, like her own childhood, Catherine was an importa...more
I like the way Giles Tremlett writes and this biography of Catherine of Aragon, told very sympathetically, was another good read. It helped me make connections with the reconquista in Spain, and the Tudors. Catherine's realisation that her resistance to divorce brought about the break from Rome and the deaths of a number of people who supported her was very poignant. It is an aspect of the story I hadn't thought of before.
I don't know how I missed this before. This is a marvelous view into Catherine of Aragon and a must-read for any fan of the Tudor period. Too often Catherine is portrayed as rigidly religious and obstreperous or an unwilling and pious victim. Here we see her as the daughter of the powerful Isabella and devious Ferdinand struggling to find her way as a royal pawn destined from toddlerhood to be the Queen of England. Her inherent goodness is quite remarkable and her conversion from most amiable co...more
This is a nice biography to introduce someone to the realities of Henry VIII's first wife -please read if you think the TV Tudors are the real thing! I thought it was a well-balanced biography but nothing startling new, even though the author makes a bit of a fuss about using long lost documents found in spanish archives.
This book was one of the few I could find on the subject, but it is more than sufficient. I enjoy reading histories, and this one does not disappoint. This well-written book paints the portrait of devout woman struggling to maintain her position after Henry VIII replaces her. Her unwavering stance frustrates Henry VIII but wins the loyalty of the English people. Although little is known about her childhood, her adult life is well documented and presented with clarity in this book. And it helps t...more
An excellent unbiased view of Catherine of Aragon. Tremlett leaves the reader to conclude their own opinion. Incredibly researched, even to include her parents relationship prior to birth, the author gives a very clear picture of Catherine's upbringing, environment and influences that attributed to Catherine's disposition. It has definitely, changed my perspective on Catherine of Aragon. Neither a good or bad opinion, just the realization that she was an incredibly intelligent, strong and passio...more
I highly enjoyed this look into the life of Henry VIII's first wife. I felt sorry for her later in the book seeing as how her life crumbled after Henry took on his next love interest. She could have been a great ruler herself if given the chance.
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Giles Tremlettis the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent. He has lived in, and written about, Spain for the past twenty years.
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May 06, 2013 06:23am