The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and His Daughter Mary

by Melita Thomas

Mary Tudor has always been known as "Bloody Mary," named by later Protestant chroniclers who vilified her for attempting to re-impose Roman Catholicism in England. Although a more nuanced picture of the first queen regent has since emerged, she is still depicted as a tragic figure, isolated after the annulment of her parents’ marriage and rescued from obscurity by Katherine Parr. Although Henry doted on Mary, her determination to side with her mother hurt him as a father and damaged perceptions of him as a monarch. However, once Mary had been pressured into compliance, Henry reverted to being a loving father and Mary played an important role in court life. As Melita Thomas points out, Mary was a gambler—and not just with cards. Later, she would risk all to gain the throne. As a young girl of just 17 she made the first throw of the dice, defiantly maintaining her claim to be Henry’s legitimate daughter against the determined attempts of Anne Boleyn and the king to break her spirit.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Tudor Period, Biography, 16th Century, Royalty

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2017

Reviews

[Tony Riches · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember being taught at school about how Henry VIII's daughter Mary became known as 'Bloody Mary' after having hundreds of dissenters executed and burned at the stake. Since then I've realised her life - and relationship with her father - was far more complex.

In a new reappraisal of Mary Tudor's life, Melita Thomas has taken a thorough and well-researched approach. It is refreshing to know Melita can read Italian and French, so was able to refer to the original accounts of chroniclers of the time, rather than the many translations.

The result is a a sensitive picture of a young girl growing old before her time in challenging circumstances. One aspect I'd not given much thought to before was her submission to her father -
and how Mary faced the impossible dilemma of risking her immortal soul by acknowledging her father as the supreme head of the church or risking her life defending her mother's faith.

The book ends with the death of Henry VIII, and although there is a short epilogue, I still fund many questions unanswered. I hope Melita Thomas will therefore write a companion volume which covers Mary's rise to power and later life, as there is so much 'misinformation' written by later protestant chroniclers.

Last year I stood at the shared tomb of Queens Elizabeth and Mary in Westminster Abbey, listening to their imagined voices on the audio guide. It made me want to learn more about Mary Tudor, so The King's Pearl is a book I'm sure I will refer back to - highly recommended.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be about Mary’s life. Instead, the bulk recorded multiple marriage contracts created and broken for various political reasons. Sadly, very dry and difficult to finish.

[Aurele · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea that Henry totally intended to reinstate Mary as heir by June 1536 and that the only reason he didn’t was because of Pole’s tract is ludicrous and not borne out by the evidence. Can’t in good conscience recommend this, despite some compelling other pieces. He would’ve done so in April 1536 if that was really his intention, it was the condition of an Imperial alliance that Charles set out and he rejected it. Can’t get any clearer wrt to his intentions than that . Cromwell might have told Chapuys otherwise but it’s well-known he was more than capable of lying when it suited his own ends.

The author is not a historian , which I wish I had known before I read.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary’s determination to be an active rather than passive participant in Tudor politics is evident throughout the book. The King’s Pearl: Henry VIII and His Daughter Mary is an interesting and well researched counterpoint to prevailing image of Mary I as a “Bloody” or “Tragic” figure. Like her half-siblings, Elizabeth I and Edward VI, she was a child of Henry VIII and his influence had a lifelong impact on her politics and personality.

Read my full review here: http://www.royalhistorian.com/tudor-b...

[Siri Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King's Pearl chronicles the early life of Mary Tudor through the lens of her relationship with her father, King Henry VIII. It shows his reign from Mary's perspective, detailing the ups and downs of their tense father-daughter relationship, marred as it was by religious turmoil, political upheavals, and the continuous uncertainties surrounding the succession. The book does an admirable job of following tumultuous foreign policies, the machinations of courtiers, and the slow decline of Henry VIII's ability to see beyond his own inclinations. A little dry at times, simply because marital plans involving Mary came and went so rapidly that any complete account of them must necessarily feel a little long and repetitive, but it's otherwise an excellent account of the Tudor court from an often overlooked perspective, and it succeeds very well in showing the complexity, both of Mary and of her father. Recommended.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scholarly account of the relationship between Henry VIII and his daughter Mary, giving an insight into how Mary developed later in her life - highly principled and unbending. She was strong, determined, torn between her love for both parent's yet loyal to her mother and her faith throughout. She was highly educated and as Melita Thomas says towards the end of the book, how different English History could have been had Henry focused on the potential female heir he had and nurtured her well rather than constantly searching for the elusive male heir. It is likely that Mary could have turned out very differently from how history remembers her as "Bloody Mary".

[Zosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paints a compelling portrait of Mary and manages to keep the focus on her throughout Henry’s reign (no easy feat). A little dry, but overall very interesting and sympathetic.

[Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely detailed account into the relationship between Queen Mary and King Henry VIII. Although it was dry at times I would say the level of detail makes up for it. Definitely recommend.