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The Mistresses of Henry VIII
Seventeen-year-old Henry VIII was "a youngling, he cares for nothing but girls and hunting." Over the years, this didn’t change much. Henry was considered a demi-god by his subjects, so each woman he chose was someone who had managed to stand out in a crowd of stunning ladies. Looking good was not enough (indeed, many of Henry’s lovers were considered unattractive); she had to have something extra special to keep the King’s interest. And Henry’s women were every bit as intriguing as the man himself. In this book Henry’s mistresses are rescued from obscurity. The 16th century was a time of profound changes in religion and society across Europe—and some of Henry’s lovers were at the forefront of influencing these events.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
55 people are currently reading
4896 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Hart
2 books1 followerKelly Hart is an English historian who currently lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She works as a teacher and author and specialises in studying women of the Tudor period.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 2, 2009
While I applaud the author's effort to bring the mistresses to life, this book ended up being just another book on the lives of Henry VIII's wives.
This book would have been better titled "The Loves of Henry VIII" rather than "The Mistresses of Henry VIII". The book focused mostly on Henry's relationship with his second wife, Anne, who walks a fine line of being a mistress/wife.
I would recommend this book to someone who is not overly familiar with the complex love life of Henry VIII. There is little new information to interest those Tudor enthusiasts who know the era well.
This book would have been better titled "The Loves of Henry VIII" rather than "The Mistresses of Henry VIII". The book focused mostly on Henry's relationship with his second wife, Anne, who walks a fine line of being a mistress/wife.
I would recommend this book to someone who is not overly familiar with the complex love life of Henry VIII. There is little new information to interest those Tudor enthusiasts who know the era well.
February 6, 2017
I was slightly dissapointed in The Mistresses of Henry VIII. While the information was good, the author jumped back and forth through Henry's life too much. At the start, it seemed as if each major mistress would have a chapter dedicated to her, but it soon devolved into randomness with Jane Seymour as the header but Mary Boleyn's children the topic.
The content was interesting to a point, but eventually it was like trying to watch reality TV. Between the confusing writing style and Henry's trying to copulate his way through every female at court, I lost interest. I gave it 3 stars because it was well researched but in desperate need of an editor.
The content was interesting to a point, but eventually it was like trying to watch reality TV. Between the confusing writing style and Henry's trying to copulate his way through every female at court, I lost interest. I gave it 3 stars because it was well researched but in desperate need of an editor.
December 9, 2011
Definitely a rehashing of the lives of Henry's wives than an in depth study of his mistresses. Whilst Anne, Katherine and possibly Jane not only were both mistress then wife, I think more time could have been devoted to the other women who appeared to be more of a side note than the focus of the matter. An easy reading book for those not too conversant with Tudor history.
September 7, 2012
A bit disappointing in all. I learned nothing new about the women in Henry's life. The style of writing was a little confusing too, reiterating the same points numerous times and flitting between periods in order to fill in the family gaps of some of these women. Some chapters felt more like a wordy family tree than telling much about the individual. Also a heavy reliance on existing secondary sources didn't really help, as I'd read those too!
February 4, 2017
With hyperactive excitement, Hart reports every piece of gossip, every breath of scandal, quotes every historian, chases down every rumor, determined to make a complete list of every woman Henry VIII might (just possibly) have had sex with.
She goes more or less in chronologically, following his marital career wife by wife, although she constantly dashes back, forth, and sideways, to follow down what happened to various women and their families after they crossed Henry’s … umm… path, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, coming to the same conclusion as everyone from Katherine Parr onwards that it was far better to be his mistress than his wife.
The book thereof comes off a little scattered, but she isn’t just following a straight path of one person’s life, she’s outlying a spider web of connections between all the many people of Henry’s court, and, all in all, it was fascinating to read yet another layer to all that happened in the Tudor era.
August 6, 2022
Henry VIII of England is known for his six wives as well as creating the Anglican Church when the Catholic Pope refused - or avoided making a decision in order to deny Henry's request for an dispensation from Katherine of Aragon. But he was a virile man that enjoyed sex as well as enjoyed the lovely young maids-of-honor that surrounded his wife (wives) along with the intriguing wives of his courtiers.
Hart starts with Henry's early years as a young man who cared for women and hunting. As he ascended to the throne, he continued his relationships with various women - and beauty was not the only qualifier that was needed to keep his interest. But in turn, he was the undisputed king and disagreeing or questioning him and/or his actions could easily get the current mistress banished from his presence with a reputation in tatters. On the other hand, if she retired without creating problems, Henry would provide gifts, property, pensions and a notable marriage.
Henry had 4 acknowledged children that lived past infancy - Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I and the Duke of Richmond, Henry Fitzroy (Bessie Blount was his mother and he died in his teens). Strongly suspected are the 2 eldest children of Mary Boleyn (Anne's older sister), Catherine and Henry Carey. Others are rumored but with miscarriages, stillbirths and infant death being common, if Henry was aware of any additional children of his bloodline, they likely died young. And DNA testing - if remains can even be determined for the child - is unlikely since the English Royal Family absolutely refuses to disturb the burial of any previous royal.
Hart gives backgrounds for the numerous ladies that Henry had relationships with - or was suspected to have had one. Their personal history as well as what happened afterwards in their lives. A great deal of confusion occurs due to the fact that the names of Elizabeth, Mary (Marie, Margaret), Anne and Catherine were VERY common and dominates the daughters of English nobility. And there was the creative spelling that was dependent on who was doing the recording.
For the fan of the Tudors as well as Henry VIII, there is likely nothing new but it does give some insight into the what was happening in the background of Henry VIII's royal court. For a novice, admittedly, it will get confusing with the similar names as well the inter-relations of the noble families at the time. But quite interesting and reads rather quickly.
2022-172
Hart starts with Henry's early years as a young man who cared for women and hunting. As he ascended to the throne, he continued his relationships with various women - and beauty was not the only qualifier that was needed to keep his interest. But in turn, he was the undisputed king and disagreeing or questioning him and/or his actions could easily get the current mistress banished from his presence with a reputation in tatters. On the other hand, if she retired without creating problems, Henry would provide gifts, property, pensions and a notable marriage.
Henry had 4 acknowledged children that lived past infancy - Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I and the Duke of Richmond, Henry Fitzroy (Bessie Blount was his mother and he died in his teens). Strongly suspected are the 2 eldest children of Mary Boleyn (Anne's older sister), Catherine and Henry Carey. Others are rumored but with miscarriages, stillbirths and infant death being common, if Henry was aware of any additional children of his bloodline, they likely died young. And DNA testing - if remains can even be determined for the child - is unlikely since the English Royal Family absolutely refuses to disturb the burial of any previous royal.
Hart gives backgrounds for the numerous ladies that Henry had relationships with - or was suspected to have had one. Their personal history as well as what happened afterwards in their lives. A great deal of confusion occurs due to the fact that the names of Elizabeth, Mary (Marie, Margaret), Anne and Catherine were VERY common and dominates the daughters of English nobility. And there was the creative spelling that was dependent on who was doing the recording.
For the fan of the Tudors as well as Henry VIII, there is likely nothing new but it does give some insight into the what was happening in the background of Henry VIII's royal court. For a novice, admittedly, it will get confusing with the similar names as well the inter-relations of the noble families at the time. But quite interesting and reads rather quickly.
2022-172
September 17, 2024
As someone who is trying to dip their toes into history, this book was a great start! Even though it's only about 200 pages, it is chalk full of information of not only Henry's supposed mistresses but of his wives as well (which is what I was most interested in).
January 4, 2024
Ininteresujonxe
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March 17, 2011Interesting theme of the Tudor era. Straight forward and easy read. Was a bit thrown off by the blatant errors (either in editing or writing, I couldn't tell)but realized only people well-versed in the time period and the lives of the people would have realized the mistakes. An example, the title Duke of Richmond was mentioned as not in use from the time Henry VIII's younger brother Edmund held it until Henry gave it to his illegitamate son. Henry VIII did not have a brother Edmund (neither would Henry VII--so here I feel it wasn't a 'typo' but a writing mistake).
February 2, 2016
I love the history of this time and find Henry VIII intriguing, but have to admit I found this book disappointing. It jumped around and I would be reading something not knowing what the relevance was! Love the history, but not this particular portrayal of it.
July 7, 2020
I did mildly enjoy this as a quick read but I’m altogether disappointed. For a book claiming to detail the lives of Henry’s mistresses and “rescue them from obscurity”, it fails to either focus on the mistresses themselves or to do much to illuminate their lives.
Discussion of Henry’s mistresses is sparse after the first third of the book - granted, as the author accepts, this is due to the definite decline in the King’s interest for women from the late 1530s - although even this is disappointing. There is a focus on recounting every aspect of the genealogy of every mistress at the expense of making broader, insightful points on the nature of the King’s affairs that aren’t discernible from the introduction. The book would benefit enormously from a reference to family trees, although this would admittedly remove the majority of the content for the majority of the mistresses.
The first part of the book genuinely feels like a catalogue of biographies and leaves little in the way of insight into the more obscure mistresses. With the possible exception of Anne Stafford - to whom the best part of a chapter is dedicated - the only mistresses to whom any real attention is given are the well known Bessie Blount and Mary Boleyn. Whilst boldly claiming to rescue Elizabeth Carew, Elizabeth Amadas and others from obscurity, I honestly could have forgotten these women existed.
The second half of the book is a huge improvement in terms of writing, although it focuses - disappointedly - on the lives of Henry’s wives themselves. The points are far more insightful but generally mainstream.
This is a great introduction to the lives of Henry’s wives but there’s very little new content here for those already interested in Tudor history. Maybe I wouldn’t have been disappointed if this book hadn’t failed to accomplish what it set out to and considered it another biography of Henry’s wives.
Discussion of Henry’s mistresses is sparse after the first third of the book - granted, as the author accepts, this is due to the definite decline in the King’s interest for women from the late 1530s - although even this is disappointing. There is a focus on recounting every aspect of the genealogy of every mistress at the expense of making broader, insightful points on the nature of the King’s affairs that aren’t discernible from the introduction. The book would benefit enormously from a reference to family trees, although this would admittedly remove the majority of the content for the majority of the mistresses.
The first part of the book genuinely feels like a catalogue of biographies and leaves little in the way of insight into the more obscure mistresses. With the possible exception of Anne Stafford - to whom the best part of a chapter is dedicated - the only mistresses to whom any real attention is given are the well known Bessie Blount and Mary Boleyn. Whilst boldly claiming to rescue Elizabeth Carew, Elizabeth Amadas and others from obscurity, I honestly could have forgotten these women existed.
The second half of the book is a huge improvement in terms of writing, although it focuses - disappointedly - on the lives of Henry’s wives themselves. The points are far more insightful but generally mainstream.
This is a great introduction to the lives of Henry’s wives but there’s very little new content here for those already interested in Tudor history. Maybe I wouldn’t have been disappointed if this book hadn’t failed to accomplish what it set out to and considered it another biography of Henry’s wives.
April 24, 2022
How many Katherines, Annes, Elizabeths & Marys did Henry 'like'? He never met a 'girl next door' called Myrtle or Elspeth?! Seriously, he was the king of England...and very handsome, intelligent & muscular in his prime...& very, very rich...& very powerful...
What did so many fair 'maidens' see in him? A way for their families to prosper by milking him, metaphorically-speaking...& perhaps, quite quickly, losing their place...& their heads...& their fathers/brothers too? It seems he loved Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Katherine Howard & several others...but ended up with children with in many places...though only Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth did him proud.
An entertaining enough read...& a welcome antidote to some of the Tudor drivel from Lady Lucy Worsley on the B.B.C TV...where Henry is turned into a unique royal-blooded Misogynist...when all he wanted was a loyal wife, some lusty mistresses & a couple of healthy sons...an heir & a spare! Such is the life of a 16th. century monarch...though Henry did us all a favour by telling the Bishop of Rome where to go! And if you think Henry was a monster...Francis of France was worse!
What did so many fair 'maidens' see in him? A way for their families to prosper by milking him, metaphorically-speaking...& perhaps, quite quickly, losing their place...& their heads...& their fathers/brothers too? It seems he loved Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Katherine Howard & several others...but ended up with children with in many places...though only Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth did him proud.
An entertaining enough read...& a welcome antidote to some of the Tudor drivel from Lady Lucy Worsley on the B.B.C TV...where Henry is turned into a unique royal-blooded Misogynist...when all he wanted was a loyal wife, some lusty mistresses & a couple of healthy sons...an heir & a spare! Such is the life of a 16th. century monarch...though Henry did us all a favour by telling the Bishop of Rome where to go! And if you think Henry was a monster...Francis of France was worse!
August 6, 2024
Many books have been written about Henry VIII and his six wives, but the many mistresses he took, and their influence on court life, has very much been in the background. Now they move to centre stage with this interesting and scholarly work outlining the roles each played, including some women who were set up to be mistresses but managed to dodge the role.
From Bessie Blount who bore his first born, illegitimate, son to later women who vied for the role, having seen how Anne Boleyn reaped the rewards before paying the ultimate price, it makes for a fascinating read. This charismatic, self-centred monarch could have his pick and his flexible conscience did not see that he was committing adultery just as much as the two wives he beheaded for the same crime. It is easy to judge him with today's standards, but he very much walked to the beat of his own drum even then.
Using original documentation and careful research, the author paints a picture of the identified mistresses (there may have been many more) and shows how their role was reflected at court and how each wife handled the competition.
A great read.
From Bessie Blount who bore his first born, illegitimate, son to later women who vied for the role, having seen how Anne Boleyn reaped the rewards before paying the ultimate price, it makes for a fascinating read. This charismatic, self-centred monarch could have his pick and his flexible conscience did not see that he was committing adultery just as much as the two wives he beheaded for the same crime. It is easy to judge him with today's standards, but he very much walked to the beat of his own drum even then.
Using original documentation and careful research, the author paints a picture of the identified mistresses (there may have been many more) and shows how their role was reflected at court and how each wife handled the competition.
A great read.
July 28, 2018
I guess there just isn't enough information about Henry VIII 's mistresses to compile a book.
Most of the interesting parts of this book are about his wives. It is true that Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard were mistresses before he married them.
Because Bessie Blount bore his illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, there is a bit more info about
her. I did not know that King Henry spent a great deal of time with this son and even considered
making him his heir until his early death.
There is also more information about Mary Boleyn because she was Anne's sister and was
more active in the court.
For the others, there is very little personal information, mostly their date of birth, the names of their relatives , perhaps who they married after their liaison with Henry. It does not make for
interesting reading.
And though it's by no means the author's fault everyone is named either Mary, Katherine,
Anne with a few Elizabeths thrown in. It was just too confusing trying to follow everyone's relationships with everyone else .
Most of the interesting parts of this book are about his wives. It is true that Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard were mistresses before he married them.
Because Bessie Blount bore his illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, there is a bit more info about
her. I did not know that King Henry spent a great deal of time with this son and even considered
making him his heir until his early death.
There is also more information about Mary Boleyn because she was Anne's sister and was
more active in the court.
For the others, there is very little personal information, mostly their date of birth, the names of their relatives , perhaps who they married after their liaison with Henry. It does not make for
interesting reading.
And though it's by no means the author's fault everyone is named either Mary, Katherine,
Anne with a few Elizabeths thrown in. It was just too confusing trying to follow everyone's relationships with everyone else .
July 27, 2020
I'm really not sure about this.
While being written well, the 'evidence' that Hart uses in this book is too conjectural for me to get on board with. Out of the ten women that this book focuses on (yes, ten), I would say there is enough evidence for maybe three or four of them. For example, receiving a marriage gift from the king and being offered his first dance do not strongly imply a sexual relationship. If we know anything about Henry, it's that he loved to flatter women. I think it's slippery in the least to imply that these gestures suggested any sort of relationship between them, especially in his more immobile years.
An interesting read, but I think the author is inferring a little too much where not enough evidence lies.
While being written well, the 'evidence' that Hart uses in this book is too conjectural for me to get on board with. Out of the ten women that this book focuses on (yes, ten), I would say there is enough evidence for maybe three or four of them. For example, receiving a marriage gift from the king and being offered his first dance do not strongly imply a sexual relationship. If we know anything about Henry, it's that he loved to flatter women. I think it's slippery in the least to imply that these gestures suggested any sort of relationship between them, especially in his more immobile years.
An interesting read, but I think the author is inferring a little too much where not enough evidence lies.
April 16, 2020
Deliberately as unrevealing and deceitful as American "history'
The author attempted to make this book about the mistresses of King Henry VIII of England an expose of the women themselves however, cites only bare period public documents - without depth or cohesion. I've read many other books on the life of Henry VIII and this one by far is the least interesting primarily because the author's obvious attempts to paint a picture of Europe and England minus facts of the diseased, murderous and greed-obsessed reality - exactly in lock step with the blatant lies of Americ
an "history". My rating - minus one "star".
The author attempted to make this book about the mistresses of King Henry VIII of England an expose of the women themselves however, cites only bare period public documents - without depth or cohesion. I've read many other books on the life of Henry VIII and this one by far is the least interesting primarily because the author's obvious attempts to paint a picture of Europe and England minus facts of the diseased, murderous and greed-obsessed reality - exactly in lock step with the blatant lies of Americ
an "history". My rating - minus one "star".
August 17, 2018
As the wonderful Charlie Fenton has pointed out to me, this book is the product of it's time. Being published in 2010, it lacks much of the revisionism that has marked the past decade of Tudor studies, as well as any semblance of subtlety or nuance. The wives are portrayed only in two dimensions: religious, flirt, boring, ugly, slut and the only clever one. The mistresses, likewise are reduced to a brief overview of their lives pre and post Henry. Modern scholarship has served these women better.
April 9, 2021
The author covers not the not only Henry the VIII's wives But the women he also became his mistresses.an east introduction into the Tudor world.abley summed rather well in the conclusion part of the book.i don't think in these more enlightened times he would have got away with what he did,there would have been a 'me too campaign against him.
October 18, 2017
As at least one other review pointed out, this is mostly about Henry VIII's wives, which was disappointing, as there are plenty of other books available on those ladies. Bessie Blount and Mary Boleyn are the only two actual mistresses who receive much attention.
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November 29, 2024To be a mistress or wife
Interesting historical facts. Good links with modern historical characters. Gives accurAte account of life at court. Never realised Henry had bad health for so many years.. Would not have liked to be married to him.
Interesting historical facts. Good links with modern historical characters. Gives accurAte account of life at court. Never realised Henry had bad health for so many years.. Would not have liked to be married to him.
November 18, 2025
Review: This was a much more palatable history book to me. It wasn't quite so bogged down with quotes and read in a less academic way, I would say. Overall, it was an interesting read learning more about some of the other women in Henry VIII's life.
Grade: B-
Grade: B-
January 31, 2023
The title is misleading the book is mainly about Henry VIIIs six wife’s overall it was an enjoyable read
February 9, 2017
The information this book provides is well researched and very interesting; especially as Kelly Hart sheds some light on those of Henry's mistresses who are not as famous today as his six wives. The first half of the book is dedicated mainly to the mistresses (because Henry led a rather "normal" married life with Katherine in the first years if his reign), the second half of the book is then concerned with the five wives after Katherine (and some mistresses in between).
In general, the book is a fairly easy read. As some reviews have already mentioned, the problem with this book (and the reason I only gave it 3 stars) is that the author jumps a lot in time and focus. Sometimes a paragraph about one lady is interrupted by a long passage about the family relations of another, who has just been briefly mentioned, before. The information provided thereby was interesting, but I had the feeling that it was often out of place. This interrupted the overall structure and led to many repetitions in order to get back to the main topic.
Also, the author often gave what was meant to be counter arguments to her own stance and sometimes even provided some sort of proof for them, only to say afterwards that the (counter) argument was invalid and there was no evidence for it. I found that somewhat confusing and frustrating. "But there is no evidence for that" is no argument for your own opinion if you have previously given evidence for the opposing view!
Thus, 3 stars - I enjoyed reading it despite its flaws and although most of the content concerning the wives wasn't news to me.
In general, the book is a fairly easy read. As some reviews have already mentioned, the problem with this book (and the reason I only gave it 3 stars) is that the author jumps a lot in time and focus. Sometimes a paragraph about one lady is interrupted by a long passage about the family relations of another, who has just been briefly mentioned, before. The information provided thereby was interesting, but I had the feeling that it was often out of place. This interrupted the overall structure and led to many repetitions in order to get back to the main topic.
Also, the author often gave what was meant to be counter arguments to her own stance and sometimes even provided some sort of proof for them, only to say afterwards that the (counter) argument was invalid and there was no evidence for it. I found that somewhat confusing and frustrating. "But there is no evidence for that" is no argument for your own opinion if you have previously given evidence for the opposing view!
Thus, 3 stars - I enjoyed reading it despite its flaws and although most of the content concerning the wives wasn't news to me.
June 15, 2013
The definite theme to this year's reading seems to be that my books are either not what I expect or what they advertise themselves to be. This short book was as much about Henry's wives as his mistresses.
To be fair to Ms Hart, several of Henry's mistresses (or women that were commonly thought to be mistresses at the time) became his wives. And she makes the valid point that the mistresses that Henry tired of without marrying them had better - and longer - futures than those he did marry. But his wives have had hundreds of books dedicated to them, both separately and as a group.
In her conclusion, Hart writes that "it is not the political importance of these women that drew the author to write their stories, but their personalities and their own captivating tales." Except that we don't hear most of these tales. We hear political background on the reign, what was happening at the time to his current wife, the state of the kings health, and whether or not he was currently in the process of trying anyone for treason! But, with the usual exceptions of Mary Boleyn and Bessie Blount, we hear very little about the stories of his mistresses. Indeed, the final chapter is devoted to a woman who, people thought would be a good mistress for Henry and gossiped that he might have an affair with, but who never actually had a relationship with the king! We hear more about her than some women who had an actual relationship of several months with Henry.
Engagingly written, but more a general history of Henry VIII's love life than a specific book about his mistresses.
To be fair to Ms Hart, several of Henry's mistresses (or women that were commonly thought to be mistresses at the time) became his wives. And she makes the valid point that the mistresses that Henry tired of without marrying them had better - and longer - futures than those he did marry. But his wives have had hundreds of books dedicated to them, both separately and as a group.
In her conclusion, Hart writes that "it is not the political importance of these women that drew the author to write their stories, but their personalities and their own captivating tales." Except that we don't hear most of these tales. We hear political background on the reign, what was happening at the time to his current wife, the state of the kings health, and whether or not he was currently in the process of trying anyone for treason! But, with the usual exceptions of Mary Boleyn and Bessie Blount, we hear very little about the stories of his mistresses. Indeed, the final chapter is devoted to a woman who, people thought would be a good mistress for Henry and gossiped that he might have an affair with, but who never actually had a relationship with the king! We hear more about her than some women who had an actual relationship of several months with Henry.
Engagingly written, but more a general history of Henry VIII's love life than a specific book about his mistresses.
May 21, 2022
Poutavá kniha, rychle jsem se začetla a jen nerada jsem ji odkládala. Ačkoliv by se mohlo zdát, že je to další z řady knih, které rozebírají život Jindřichových manželek, není to tak úplně pravda - je to kniha, která se věnuje královým milenkám (pravda, v případě Jindřicha VIII., se řada manželek kvalifikovala právě z milenek). Nejvíce pozornosti je (pochopitelně) věnováno období Jindřichova mládí a "střední" dospělosti, kdy byl ženatý s Kateřinou Aragonskou a Annou Boleynovou. Ale nebudete ochuzeni ani o pozdější etapy jeho života.
O Jindřichovi se často říká, že neměl mnoho milenek - kniha vám ukáže, to není úplná pravda. Král se s tím pouze okatě nevychloubal (narozdíl od jiných panovníků).
Je důležité vědět, že kniha je vhodná pro ty, kteří mají o Tudorovcích načteno. Autorka nijak obsáhle nevysvětluje všemožné události, které doprovázely život Jindřicha a jeho osudových žen a rovněž nešetří všemožnými jmény a poměrně detailními popisy příbuzenských svazků - s přesahem k tomu, kdo z rodiny již sloužil Jindřichovým rodičům nebo potomkům, co se v životě toho či onoho odehrálo. I já jsem se často musela soustředit, abych se v záplavě sestřenic, neteří, strýců, přivdaných a přiženěných osob neztratila- a to si troufám říct, že o době Jindřich VIII., již určité znalosti mám. Kdybych byla touto tématikou nepolíbená, byla bych v knize úplně ztracená.
O Jindřichovi se často říká, že neměl mnoho milenek - kniha vám ukáže, to není úplná pravda. Král se s tím pouze okatě nevychloubal (narozdíl od jiných panovníků).
Je důležité vědět, že kniha je vhodná pro ty, kteří mají o Tudorovcích načteno. Autorka nijak obsáhle nevysvětluje všemožné události, které doprovázely život Jindřicha a jeho osudových žen a rovněž nešetří všemožnými jmény a poměrně detailními popisy příbuzenských svazků - s přesahem k tomu, kdo z rodiny již sloužil Jindřichovým rodičům nebo potomkům, co se v životě toho či onoho odehrálo. I já jsem se často musela soustředit, abych se v záplavě sestřenic, neteří, strýců, přivdaných a přiženěných osob neztratila- a to si troufám říct, že o době Jindřich VIII., již určité znalosti mám. Kdybych byla touto tématikou nepolíbená, byla bych v knize úplně ztracená.
April 17, 2020
I've had this book on my wish list FOREVER. I've waited well over a year for this to be made into a Kindle book, and nearly fell out of my chair when I noticed it finally was. While I didn't learn anything new about Henry, this was still an enjoyable read. Ms. Hart gives the backgrounds of every mistress Henry is thought to have had, from the well know ones such as Bessie Blount, to the lesser know mistresses like Elizabeth Carew and Jane Poppincourt.
There were some parts of this book that dragged on a bit, but for the most part, it was very well written and organized. The author sticks to her focus, which is the mistresses. She doesn't get sidetracked by spending too much time on the wives (save for the three who started out as mistresses) or the polices of Henry's court...this book is mainly about his lovers.
If you're not already familiar with the story of Henry VIII and the background of the main women in his life, you may want to skip this book or read up on Henry and company a bit before tackling it. There are so many players, and many of the women have the same name (Anne, Katherine, Mary, Elizabeth) that a novice would probably become confused rather quickly. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am glad I finally got the chance to read it.
There were some parts of this book that dragged on a bit, but for the most part, it was very well written and organized. The author sticks to her focus, which is the mistresses. She doesn't get sidetracked by spending too much time on the wives (save for the three who started out as mistresses) or the polices of Henry's court...this book is mainly about his lovers.
If you're not already familiar with the story of Henry VIII and the background of the main women in his life, you may want to skip this book or read up on Henry and company a bit before tackling it. There are so many players, and many of the women have the same name (Anne, Katherine, Mary, Elizabeth) that a novice would probably become confused rather quickly. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am glad I finally got the chance to read it.
March 9, 2013
ISBN? - 9780752448350
General Subject/s? - History / Tudors
Title? - Does what it says on the cover.
General Analysis? - I didn't think this book was brilliant. In a lot of places, there was too little information, and some of the so-called 'mistresses' Hart mentions were barely worth a mention at all as there was too little information to even link them to Henry VIII! What I found the most interesting was the chapter on the Carey children, Catherine and Henry, and I think this would lead nicely into a book on the two on them, and their careers and descendants. A future research project maybe? Her writing style is interesting and engaging, although her source analysis is lacking at times.
Recommend? - No, not really worth it.
General Subject/s? - History / Tudors
Title? - Does what it says on the cover.
General Analysis? - I didn't think this book was brilliant. In a lot of places, there was too little information, and some of the so-called 'mistresses' Hart mentions were barely worth a mention at all as there was too little information to even link them to Henry VIII! What I found the most interesting was the chapter on the Carey children, Catherine and Henry, and I think this would lead nicely into a book on the two on them, and their careers and descendants. A future research project maybe? Her writing style is interesting and engaging, although her source analysis is lacking at times.
Recommend? - No, not really worth it.
July 11, 2014
The Mistresses of Henry VIII takes a look at the three ladies-in-waiting that the king made first his mistresses and later his queens, but also those women who entertained him, but never acquired the status of queen. Some were mothers or possible mothers of his illegitimate children, others were there to entertain or amuse him. The book itself isn't very long, just over two hundred pages, and makes for quick reading.I enjoyed this. It revealed a new aspect to the life and reign of King Henry VIII that had been long ignored, and helped to understand some of the odd behaviour that he indulged in.
January 23, 2015
The book does contain some information that was new to me about the documented mistresses, particularly Elizabeth Blount and Mary Boleyn. But there's also a lot on the wives that is dealt with better by David Starkey or Alison Weir.
Moreover, it is unfortunate that the text of the book was not better prepared. There are numerous passages that should have been revised in consultation with a good proofreader or copy-editors. There are also some glaring factual errors - for example, Hart suggests that Henry VII's father Edmund Tudor was only 14 at the time of his death in 1456 - thus lopping a full 11 years off his already short life-span.
Moreover, it is unfortunate that the text of the book was not better prepared. There are numerous passages that should have been revised in consultation with a good proofreader or copy-editors. There are also some glaring factual errors - for example, Hart suggests that Henry VII's father Edmund Tudor was only 14 at the time of his death in 1456 - thus lopping a full 11 years off his already short life-span.
August 11, 2014
This book gives interesting insight into the love life of Henry VIII. I wanted an overview of his mistresses and wives (which the book includes) as I enjoy historical fiction from the Tudor period and can't always keep everyone straight. I don't know how Henry VIII kept them all straight! One thing is for sure as the author points out- Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is an accurate description of Henry both as a king and a lover.
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