The Six Wives of Henry VIII

by Alison Weir

The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Historical, Tudor Period, British Literature, Royalty

643 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1992

About the author

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

Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have never before spent so long reading a book and having less to say about it at the end. before reading this book, what i knew about henry VIII came mostly from one pbs (week-long)special and the herman's hermits song, which turns out to be historically inaccurate and not actually about henry VIII at all. kids, don't get your historical information from novelty songs...

what i know: henry may be one of history's shittiest spouses - after reading this, i find myself able to cut warren zevon some slack.
henry really wanted a son. and he was willing to bend tradition, religion, social conventions, public opinion and personal reputation and chop off some heads to get one. spoiler alert: henry sucks at making a son. but he's great at getting women, even if he has to manipulate competition out of the way into different countries to free up a path. it's great to be king.

my new favorite man in all of history is (eustace) chupuys, henry's much-harried ambassador whose name i adored saying aloud every time i encountered it in the book. i pronounce it kind of like t'pau.







when he eventually died (spoiler!)i felt sadder than i did at any of henry's wives' deaths.

this book was just chosen at a bad time for me: long book, end-of-semester mania, too much to do and too little sleep meant i was frequently drowsing over it. but it's not the fault of her writing which is clear and interesting. i was just too yawn for it. but at the very least, it made me want to read biographies of lady jane grey and katherine howard (the minx), and at some point i'm sure i will be reading wolf hall. so - a springboard book for me.

chapuys!!

come to my blog!

[Lavande · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch "The Other Boleyn Girl." Then watch an episode of "The Tudors." Afterward, immediately go to confession for such shameful and useless acts. Do penance by reading "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" to save your soul lest ye go through life thinking that the Tudors were all about bad acting and awkwardly placed sex scenes. Be warned that ye may lose friends when someone tries to talk to you about an episode of "The Tudors" and you turn it into a teachable moment about what *really* happened because you...you know...read one book so, of course, you know everything.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extensively researched and fascinating - a must-read for anyone interested in the women behind Henry VIII, aka the patron saint of man-whores. (I just made that up on the spot, but it works so I'm keeping it)
Weir isn't completely unbiased in her description of Henry and his various women, but I can't blame her. With this family, it's hard not to take sides. This is especially clear when Weir describes the way Henry felt about Anne of Cleves, his wife for about ten minutes. Weir talks about how Henry whined that Anne was fat and ugly and then, no doubt with a wicked grin on her face, Weir goes on to describe how gross Henry had gotten by that point. You can just tell she's dying to call Henry a fat bastard, and I'm proud of her for resisting that urge.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read most of this book for an essay years ago but decided now to read it in full and... I am conflicted. Alison Weir is one of the most well known and respected historians of Tudor England and yet I found so many issues with this book. It is a good introduction to the period, and it serves as a neat narrative of the six wives of Henry VIII. It offers exactly what it says on the tin and is pretty much successful in doing so.

However. This book is not perfect. There are no footnotes, making it practically impossible to figure out what sources are used (the bibliography at the back really doesn’t help much). This wouldn’t usually be so much of an issue - except I noticed that Weir was wrong a few times. First she said Henry VIII was the first king of England to introduce the term “your majesty” - but he didn’t. I wrote a whole dissertation on Richard II, and guess what - it was that egotistical maniac that started that off in the 1390s, not Henry VIII. And then to top it off, Weir did something really strange and I would love for someone to fill me in if possible - she mentioned a missal belonging to Katherine of Aragon but when she quoted the missal, it was a sentence written by Anne Boleyn in a book of hours (I only really noticed because I’m going to Hever in two weeks so have been looking at her books of hours online). So I dutifully went to the bibliography to find only that she got it from the British Library. No manuscript number, no title... nothing, save it’s in the King’s Manuscripts collection in the BL (which has 441 manuscripts). I googled, and a small handful of people have noticed the same, and said the only reference they can find to this missal is this book, and a search on the BL website comes up only with Anne Boleyn’s book of hours. So.... I’m confused. I can’t find a single reference to a missal belonging to Katherine of Aragon containing this sentence in (“By daily proof you shall me find to be to you both loving and kind”)...so where has a Weir got it from, because evidently just saying “The King’s MSS in the British Library” isn’t enough. Clearer footnotes and sources would be massively appreciated.

I also didn’t really like the representation of Katherine Howard, who is several times referred to as “empty-headed”, nor how the young Elizabeth I was seen as guilty somehow for Thomas Seymour’s grooming of her. It’s blamed on her “Boleyn blood” and some sort of innate sexuality that she had inherited from her mother. The only thing Weir says about Seymour is that he “should have known better”. Elizabeth was “ripe for seduction and probably willing enough”. Nothing she says condemns Seymour’s actions against a child, but paragraphs are spent on how “willing” Elizabeth was, how her “budding sexuality was aroused”. Is it only my skin crawling rn???? So yeah, some things she says are problematic. I’d like to see her sources properly footnoted, and it needed checking for errors. An alright introduction to the six wives, but it wouldn’t be my top choice if anyone asked for recommendations.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Kirkus review I read ages and ages ago, back in those days when their reviews were reliable, i.e. before it had been purchased by a publishing company whose aim is to sell books, said the book was meticulously researched but a bit dry. So unfortunately, I put it off until now. I did not find it in the least dry! The book's content is based on meticulous research, but in that Alison Weir, author and historian of British Royalty, is so very knowledgeable in her field, she has the ability to present information clearly and engagingly. It is this that is her great talent. A person who really knows what they are talking about can explain the complicated simply. Such a person also has the ability to throw in tidbits that engage and capture one’s interest. Lots of books have been written about Henry VIII, his six wives, the Tudors and Thomas Cromwell, but I recommend this because I have found it clear and captivating and not hard to follow even for those with little previous knowledge of Tudor history.

Weir knows how to explain. This isn’t always easy when so many are given the same name – Mary or Edward or Catherine or Elisabeth or Jane. Which Mary, Edward, Catherine, Elisabeth or Jane must be crystal clear. Nor is it easy when these very same individuals are also referred to as counts or admirals or duchesses of this or that place. I never got mixed up, and I am no expert, so I don’t think you will either.

There is that rhyme divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived to help you keep the six wives straight:
*Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain
A staunch woman of principle.
*Anne Boleyn (c.1501 -1536) born in Blickling, England
Vivacious, ambitious, ruthless with a penchant for vengeance. Sex appeal.
*Jane Seymour (c.1508-1537) born in Wiltshire, England
Obedient, pious. Strong-minded matriarch in the making.
*Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) born in Dusseldorf, Germany
Level-headed, clear-thinking and valued independence.
*Catherine Howard (1523-1542) born in London
A licentious wanton.
*Catherine Parr (1512-1548) born in London
Erudite, intellectual and wise, but knew where her heart lay.

The rhyme tells only the end of their respective stories; there is so much more to who they were.

I have a good feeling now for Henry’s, his six wives’ and their children’s temperaments, backgrounds and religious leanings. I particularly appreciated that religious and political views are focused upon, showing how the Reformation and the shift from Catholicism to Protestant beliefs began in Britain. This is as much a central theme of the book as are the facts about the wives and children (Mary, Elizabeth, Edward and the acknowledged but illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy). Life of the royalty in the 1500s, for example customs, traditions, sports, childbirth and deaths, clothing, festivals, foods and illnesses are documented in vivid detail.

You know a book is a hit when the first thing you do is pick out more books to read by the author.

Books I have read by Alison Weir:

*The Six Wives of Henry VIII 4 stars
*The Life of Elizabeth I 4 star

I want to read:
*The Children of Henry VIII
*Queens of the Conquest: England’s Medieval Queens
which is the beginning of a series. As well as
*Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England and
*Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life
because these two queens are not covered in Queens of the Conquest: England’s Medieval Queens

Innocent Traitor I have also read, but only gave it 2 stars. It is fiction. I do not recommend the author’s fictional books. Her non-fiction is much better.

ETA: I should add this. I tried to read The Wars of the Roses and gave up. It read as a string of names; people who meant nothing to me.

Simon Prebble reads the audiobook wonderfully. It could not have been improved upon. 5 stars for the narration.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read some Phillipa Gregory and Hillary Mantel titles about Henry VIII and was totally entranced. Which is weird because I’m Afrikaans, live in South Africa, and never even had history at school. The only problem with the historical fiction titles, is that they only deal with one or two wives at a time, so I could never get a complete picture. I also wasn’t sure how much of the stories I’ve read was fictionalized. So I decided to try a non-fiction, and I was very impressed by Alison Weir. Her research was extremely thorough, but the book never comes across as academic. I have a much better understanding of Henry and why he made the choices he did. I thought it would be a fun idea to share a fact about each wife instead of doing a review:

1. Catherine of Aragon – “The queen had conceived six, possibly eight times, yet all she had to show for it was one daughter.” Divorced
2. Anne Boleyn – “...thus effectively crowning her as queen regnant, as no other consort has been before or since.” Executed
3. Jane Seymour – “When Henry VIII died, he left instructions that he was to be buried with Jane.” Died
4. Anne of Cleves –“Her handling of a difficult and potentially dangerous situation shows that she was, perhaps, the wisest of Henry’s VIII’s wives.” Divorced
5. Catherine Howard – Henry married Catherine when he was 49 and she somewhere between the ages of 15 and 19. Executed
6. Catherine Parr – “She wrote and published two books.” Widowed

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where I got the book: purchased on Amazon UK.

Ah, I do enjoy an Alison Weir. I am not enough of a historian to have Opinions about history, so my comments are about the writing rather than historical merit, and the writing is good. Weir is always lively and entertaining, perfect for a recreational history reader like me, and I found myself zipping through this as if through a novel, even though I knew how each character's story ended!

It's strange, though, that my interest is always greatest up to the point where Anne Boleyn dies. I always think that the real Henry VIII story was that of the Henry-Catherine-Anne triangle, and the rest of the wives never seem to match up to the cut and thrust of the Great Matter. Once Henry won the point that he could marry and dispose of at will, the other wives' stories seem to be those of ambition overcoming common sense with the possible exception of Anne of Cleves, who really did quite well out of the deal (granted, it's a bit trickier, politically speaking, to behead a foreign princess so she had some guarantees going in).

Perhaps this is why I felt that the book started off as an account of the wives but ended up more as the standard Henry +6 story; Catherine and Anne dominate the first part of the book, and then the wives get less interesting. Still, if you're looking for a good recap or just a bit of Tudor entertainment with real-life characters, read this one. It also has a good chronology, very useful if you need to check dates.

[Stephanie Anze · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What a man the King is! How many wives will he have?"

Five stars for an encompassing book about a famous/infamous man!

When arranging for the succession to the throne of Henry VIII, a marriage of an advantageous quality is arranged to Katherine of Aragon from Spain. However, getting this marriage to happen is quite difficult and it takes years until it finally comes to fruition. When Henry and Katherine wed, matters appear to be going well but the longer the queen takes to bear a son, the more the relationship between them disintegrates. Thus Henry VIII begins a quest for a different woman to take the queen's place. As Henry VIII struggles to produce male heirs, more women have the great honor and peril of being his queen.

I have to start by admitting that I had forgotten that I was reading this book (hence why it lived for so long on my currently reading list). I decided to continue to read it for a few hours and if after that it still failed to hold my attention, I would drop it. Boy, am I glad that I picked this book up again. Alison Weir delivered a complex, intriguing and fascinating book about the six wives of Henry VIII. This was, by far, the book that took me the longest to read but its also one that left a strong imprint. The book opens with Henry VIII's parents as his marriage is being arranged. Marriage, at least back then, was not about love but about creating the most advantageous social, political and religious opportunities for England. In the beginning, the woman that most would provide those opportunities was Katherine of Aragon, from Spain. An alliance between England and Spain was, at this point, necessary. Henry VIII was still a teenager at this point but the marriage took years to be able to happen. Once it did, however, it was not all that is was expected. Queen Katherine was not able to produce male heirs and the king set his attention unto another woman: Anne Boleyn. Thus begun the battle of the annulment of his first marriage so the king would be free to marry again. This battle brought England into uncharted political and religious arenas. While Anne did manage to become queen, her reign was short lived. Four more woman would go on to have this role.

"Most ladies saw queenship as fraught with insecurity, for the King 'either putteth away or killeth his wives,'"

This book is a slow boil but Weir wrote with finesse and it read like a novel. Very well researched and written, there is drama, intrigue, scandal and suspense on these pages. As I knew nothing about the Tudors, reading this book was a royal treat. Henry VIII almost sounds like a made up character for his transformation is radical, changing more and more with each wife. But the focus of the book are the six ladies that had the honor/risk of being his wife. The battle between Katherine and Anne was quite intense and honestly, both came out losing in the end. Its certainly infuriating that a chaste behavior was expected on part of the queen while the king had many, many affairs that were not a secret from his court (it was what was expected of him). Being cruelly judged if they failed to produce male heirs, life as queen to Henry VIII was far from easy. Weir, quite successfully, gave each queen a clear voice and identity. The way in which she placed them in the political/social/religious atmosphere of their time was brilliant. Weir particularly shined in providing the context. Henry VIII was an ambitious man with a very cruel and vindictive side to him and the lady with him more often than not, suffered from it. Initially, reading this book was a daunting task but its a masterpiece. Highly recommended.

P.S.: I have fallen down the rabbit hole and already have two novels about Tudor woman (Anne Boleyn and Mary Tudor, Henry and Katherine of Aragon daughter) lined up to read in the near future. I know there will be more to follow. I love when a book opens up a whole different world to me.

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This prodigiious work on the wives of King Henry the 8th of England is so well written. It reads like a novel of suspense, passion, treachery, European History, betrayal, obedience, faith, God and love. It did what I really enjoy in books--made me want to read more about other characters mention such as Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Also to review maps and learn of the royalty of Spain, France, and Germany. Many words to be looked up to enhance your vocabulary as well. Learn about the first theatrical musicals and how the masked ball came to be. In the end, decide for yourself if Henry was evil, tyrannical or the greatest King of England.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone knows the mnemonic to remember the wives of Henry VIII (Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived) but the stories of the women themselves may otherwise be overshadowed by the outsize personality and influence of the (in)famous husband. Enter The Six Wives of Henry VIII, an enthralling account of the lives of the wives and their not-insignificant role in British history. Particularly interesting is the story of Catherine of Aragon, who put up the greatest resistance to Henry's epic douchery and, thanks to Alison Weir's great work, is my new best queen. Then there's Anne Boleyn, at times seen as a tragic figure, presented by Weir as a vengeful schemer who played Henry VIII like a fiddle until he got tired of her and had her cropped. Jane Seymour enters, gives Henry the male heir he was obsessed with, then promptly dies his favourite wife -- although Weir doesn't quite see this marriage as the "true love" story it is often presented as, and I tend to agree that Henry would have gotten bored with what was, at that point, his shortest marriage. Anne of Cleves marries and is discarded by Henry in short order, and she was apparently all the better for it (yay!). Then Henry falls in love with Catherine Howard, at least 30 years his junior, because of course he would. Her past catches up with her and a reluctant Catherine Parr gets to be queen until Henry VIII's death, which must have been a bit of a relief even if their marriage was relatively happy. This and the prior lives of the six wives are rendered in an immensely readable style that easily overcame my personal aversion to pomp history. Obviously I'm no expert on this subject and Weir's book doesn't quite have the aura of an authoritative work (it's definitely a more pop approach), but it's a greatly informative and engaging book about the perks and perils visited upon the women who found themselves in Henry VIII's orbit.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the first of Alison Weir’s books I have read. And once again it is impressive just to see how thoroughly her research was. I enjoyed how Weir is able to combine this to show the personalities of the women and Henry VIII.
Alison Weir has a rather matter-of-fact style of writing, and if you expect your ordinary novel, this is not it. The title is largely biographical, full of well-researched background information, and told like a nice tale. For me, a clear 5 out of 5 stars book.

[Alex Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly great piece of nonfiction - I'm rarely moved to write reviews, but Weir's book is remarkable in that it remains clear and interesting from start to finish, quite a feat for a book of this length. Both highly informative and enjoyable, and well worth the time investment.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book rather late in May as part of my ‘Kings and Queens’ theme that month but didn’t end up reading very much of it for lack of time. Despite every intention of finishing it in June, I got caught up with challenge and group reads and didn’t pick this up at all but then again at the beginning of this month finally picked up from where I’d left off and completed it. Though I would have read it anyway, this also fit into my theme of this month—doorstoppers—at 600+ pages. This book, my first by Alison Weir, as is pretty evident from the title is about the six women whom Henry VIII married. But as Katherine of Aragon, Henry’s first queen came to England much before his was crowned, and two other wives Katherine Parr and Anne of Cleves outlived him, it also is the story of Henry’s reign albeit restricted to a telling of those aspects of his life and reign that was related to his queens (among them of course, his break with Rome, and his ultimate ‘takeover’ of all power in England, something that emerged from issues relating to his marriages but went on to become and affect much more). And even though it doesn’t tell us the history of the entire Tudor dynasty, all six of its monarchs (even Lady Jane Grey) are here, and we learn something of each of them as well.

This book certainly took me a while to read (the one-month ‘break’ in the middle apart), but it was very readable and interesting, keeping my attention throughout. I have read accounts and stories, and historical fiction about Henry’s wives before but never a collective biography, and didn’t know the stories of all his queens, particularly Anne of Cleves and Katherine Parr, so these parts were fairly ‘new’ to me, but I also learnt a fair bit about the stories of the wives I ‘knew’ about—things like just how long it took for both Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn’s marriages to go through, just how strong of a fight Katherine of Aragon put up (and how long that lasted), and what became of Anne of Cleves after her divorce/annulment and of Katherine Parr, among other aspects. What also stands out in the book, besides the issues of succession and love/lust that surrounded Henry’s marriages is also the politics around them, and how it impacted not only how each marriage was brought about, how it ran its course, and came to an end. I also enjoyed learning about their intellectual pursuits—I knew Henry was well-educated and had composed songs but had no idea that he’d written books as well, nor that Katherine Parr was also the author of a couple of volumes.

That Henry didn’t object to these pursuits in his wives (Anne Boleyn too was well read and read some fairly heretical matter openly and with Henry’s knowledge, and Katherine of Aragon in a manner of speaking was well educated), even though this may have led to some serious differences at times (particularly for Katherine Parr, who averted some serious danger very cleverly) and although his word was of course law, I thought reflected in his favour. In the book, one also gets to see Henry’s gradual descent from jovial charming King to an ill-tempered tyrant of sorts, but also somewhat his point of view on things which makes one a little more sympathetic towards him (his health issues particularly, as well as how rarely he was really able to have a ‘family life’ (something likely common to all monarchs)) and also understand him a lot better (even if one can’t defend his actions—even by the standards of his time, perhaps).

As with reading different accounts of the same time and people (and by different people)—there were things that were different from other accounts I’d read—among them the impression I’d formed of Lady Rochford and her role in Katherine Howard’s trial, of Anne Boleyn herself, and of some facts like Katherine Carrey’s age when she attended Anne in the tower.

Interesting, informative, and enjoyable. I shall probably try some of Weir’s Tudor fiction also soon.

This review also appears on my blog at: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2...

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for anyone who loves the Showtime series THE TUDORS or anyone who is interested in the role of women in English history. Alison Weir does an incredible job of capturing the time and place and the personalities of all six of Henry VIII's wives. Fans of THE TUDORS will see that series creator Michael Hirst really followed this account closely, word for word in some cases. But there are all kinds of great details and descriptions that aren't in the show, based on eyewitness accounts.

The one complaint I had was that in one way Alison Weir was almost too detailed. Every time a royal wife stayed in a castle, even if just for a few days, Weir had to describe the castle and give its history AND tell what condition the building is in today. I'm crazy about Anne Boleyn and I want to know all her thoughts and feelings, but I don't need to know that the castle she stayed in for two weeks is now nothing but an empty field and a pile of bricks. And it gets even more gruesome when Weir continues the story after the queens are dead -- do we really need to read stuff like "Drunken sheep herders broke into her tomb in 1723 and discovered that her face had been eaten by rats?"

I mean, come on! If I wanted that stuff I could read TALES FROM THE CRYPT!

[Alexander Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII, England's most famous and rougish king, takes somewhat of a back seat (though still figures prominently) while his six wives (their courtship, marriage, and their fate) are front and center by one of England's most preeminent storyteller of royal history. Intrigue, duplicity, executions, and, of course, Henry's marital infidelities that led to a major and cataclysmic reformation of religion in England, Weir weaves her spell that gives breath and personality to each of Henry's wives, and their feelings on the reasonings behind the kings dissolution of each of his marriages. An excellent read!

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up
I'm rereading parts of this to check a separate book I am reading.
I read this some time ago and it's interesting and reads quickly, it's also biased.
This book has sexist views of the wives of Henry VIII, especially Anne Boleyn & Kitty Howard.
I don't understand the issue with holding Henry VIIIth responsible for his own actions.
I did not reread the entire book so I only removed a single star

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I made it through the 676 pages. It is as complete as I would care to read and I hope not to do any further reading since this was more than I could seek to know.

It was on sale, so I could not resist. Good King Henry is rather a lot to digest. It is far easier to watch in video as one is distracted with the elaborate gowns and jewels, etc. Of course, the author does a good job of describing it all and providing extensive bibliography.

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the fact that Henry VIII had six wives is remarkable alone; even more interesting is the unique personalities and lives of these six women. Alison Weir opens the door to the marital ups and downs of Henry and his partners in, “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”. Note: I initially read this book over a decade ago when I was less versed in Tudor history than I am now. Thus, this review is based on the impressions of one who has more knowledge on the topic during a second reading.

Alison Weir’s books can be divided into two categories: her earlier works which are more in the vein of objective, scholarly pieces and her more recent books which are in the popular history realm (intermingled with opinionated text and a more novel-like narrative). “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” fits into the former category, having been published when Weir’s approach was more academic. This means that the text is heavy with detail, facts, and a less biased view of Henry VIII’s wives.

With that being said, don’t expect an argumentative thesis comparing the wives to each other or even conclusive biographies. Instead, Weir offers a more overall look at the relationship of each wife with Henry and how it flowed into the next wife. Even with this marital focus though; Weir explores some of the politics of the reign in detail making “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” an excellent secondary source for research and as entertainment for both novice and well-versed readers.

There are moments when Weir is too detailed and sidetracks on the topic. Granted, these meanderings are related and therefore aren’t tangents; but they still slow the pace and create a feeling of clustered confusion. Oftentimes, this can be interpreted as Weir having too much information to present and messily trying to squish it into a small space.

Another issue—a big one, in fact—is a complete lack of notations. Weir includes many quotes, chunks of documents, and full sources; but these aren’t notated at all (the book lacks a notes section). This doesn’t question Weir’s credibility per se, but one can see the author’s own interpretation of the original sources due to this absence.

On a positive note, Weir showcases some of her detective/sleuth skills which is more prominent in her earlier works and thusly debunks some myths by setting records straight. This certainly creates excitement in the piece and helps the text not feel so dry (which it is sometimes guilty of).

“The Six Wives of Henry VIII” becomes increasingly compelling throughout with Weir becoming more passionate and confident in her writing. Furthermore, with some exceptions, much of the content is historically accurate taking the publishing date into consideration. On the other hand, there is a noticeable emphasis on Anne Boleyn and the lives of the wives are merely retold versus truly bringing them to life resulting in a level of detachment within the piece.

The chapters after Anne Boleyn are rushed and less detailed. Granted, there is more information concerning Anne but she seems to be Weir’s focus and this is supposed to be a book on ALL of the wives. Also increasing with the progression of the pages are more opinions by Weir; the major being her feeling that Henry VIII was coerced and cajoled into his selection of wives by other ambitious factions versus his own feelings (as though he was too weak in character to make his own decisions) and that his wives weren’t much at fault for their actions. Those readers not agreeing with this school of thought may find slight aggravations with this.

The conclusion of “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” isn’t as powerful as one would hope. However, there is a more detailed page covering Catherine Parr’s daughter (with Thomas Seymour) than most history books convey. Plus, readers will come away with a true sense of how amazing each of Henry’s wives were.

As previously mentioned, there are no notes and only a bibliography (which is messy). The book is supplemented by color plates (in black and white) and genealogical tables which depict each major family mentioned in the text. Also to be taken with a grain of salt: Weir mentions The Spanish Chronicle not being a dependable source but uses it when it suits her arguments.

Time may have weakened the strength of Weir’s writing but luckily “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” remains steadfast with its readability and facts for both new readers and those already familiar with the topic. Yes, there are some flaws but otherwise the book is recommended for everyone interested in Henry VIII and his wives.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS ONE LONG BOOK TO SAY THE LEAST BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. A FEW MONTHS AGO WATCHED THE TUDORS ON NETFLIX AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SHOW, AS I HAVE THE WHOLE SEASON ON BLU RAY NOW :) THEN I HAVE SLOWLY STARTED GETTING BOOKS ON THIS SUBJECT.

I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK AND LEARN A LITTLE MORE THAN THE SHOW. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN THIS DYNASTY.

[Siv30 · Rating 4 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/the-...

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very lucidly written and entertaining history of Henry VIII's six wives. Weir's style is straightforward and factual, but her warm, wry tone come through occasionally in her word choice. This makes for a very conversational story, easy to follow, and engaging. In fact, it's what I had hoped Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France would be like.

Weir tries very hard to be balanced and manages for the most part not to pick sides between Protestant/Catholic/Church of England. The only place I would say she oversteps her authorial bounds are in a few places where she attributes Henry VIII with more benevolent intentions than I believe he merits. In a few cases, she argues, his apparently selfish behavior was actually for the benefit of the crown and the country. I'm not so sure about that. However, Weir keeps herself reined in, and these points come up as interesting opportunities for discussion and critical thought rather than an interruption in the storyline.

She presents each woman as a three-dimensional human in her own right, and takes a very clear-eyed look at the rationale that began (and often, ended) each marriage. She brings political, religious, sociological, geographical, and historical context to this dramatic story, and backs up her assertions with historical documentation.

Overall, this was a very evidence-based but very readable history book. It should be a model for other authors of history. She neither turns it into a romance novel nor a term paper. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, or who would like to know the facts behind the legends.

My only real quibble with the book is with the printing. My copy repeated 30 pages at one point, and then left out 30 pages at a crucial point (one minute Henry was disgruntled at meeting Anne of Cleves face-to-face and the next page he was happily married to Katherine Howard moments before someone noticed she spent a lot of time out of her room at night).

[BellaGreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I’m the only person I know that would find Tudor era book an instant cure for a reading slump. I never get tired reading about these queens and Alison Weir is the best historian for the Tudors, prove me wrong.

[nettebuecherkiste · Rating 5 out of 5]

England zu Beginn des 16. Jahrhunderts. Kronprinz Arthur soll mit der spanischen Königstochter Katharina von Aragon verheiratet werden. Doch wenige Monate nach der Hochzeit stirbt der Prinz. Da Henry VII. die Verbindung zum spanischen Königshaus unbedingt aufrechterhalten möchte, wird Arthurs jüngerer Bruder Henry, der nun auch der Thronfolger ist, mit Katharina verlobt. Die Verbindung steht jedoch von Beginn an unter keinem guten Stern, denn es gibt Gründe, die gegen ihre Rechtmäßigkeit sprechen. Die Ehe wird irgendwann zwar dennoch geschlossen werden, doch niemand ahnt, dass Katharina nur die erste von sechs Ehefrauen des jungen Königs sein wird.

Die Geschichte der Tudors ist kein Neuland für mich, ich habe mich schon sehr viel mit Henry VIII. und seiner Zeit befasst, u. a. habe ich auch “The Lady in the Tower” gelesen, ein Buch derselben Autorin über die Frau, deren Verbindung zum König die größten Konsequenzen nach sich zog: Anne Boleyn, die Mutter der späteren Königin Elizabeth I. Auch über den weiteren Lebensweg und die weiteren Ehefrauen von Henry wusste ich einigermaßen Bescheid, wollte meine Kenntnisse jedoch vertiefen. Daher griff ich zu diesem Buch, das Henrys gesamtes Leben abdeckt.

Alison Weir behandelt sämtliche Beziehungen des Königs sehr ausführlich, gemäß der Länge ihrer Dauer. Katharinas und später Anne Boleyns Geschichten nehmen also zwangsläufig den größten Raum ein. Ich habe noch einiges Neues über Katharina und ihren Hintergrund erfahren. Was Jane Seymour angeht, war ich tatsächlich überrascht ob der Einschätzung ihres Charakters, sie wird immer als sanft, vielleicht etwas einfältig dargestellt, nun, das war sie auch, aber dennoch wusste sie genau, was sie tat, und war wohl nicht minder ehrgeizig als Anne Boleyn.

Sehr gut gefallen hat mir das Kapitel über Anne of Cleves, diese Frau Henrys ist mir am sympathischsten, doch bekannterweise hatte Henry Probleme mit ihrem Erscheinungsbild und lies die Ehe schnellstmöglich wieder annullieren.

Der Teil über die unglückliche Katherine Howard ist natürlich eher kurz, da ihr Aufstieg und Fall sich in rasantem Tempo abspielten. Das Buch endet nicht mit dem Tod Henrys, sondern behandelt auch noch das weitere (leider eher kurze) Leben der letzten Ehefrau Catherine Parr und von Anne of Cleves nach Henrys Tod. Auch auf die Beziehungen zwischen Henrys Frauen und seinen drei Kindern Mary, Elizabeth und Edward wird ausführlich eingegangen.

Wie auch “The Lady in the Tower” ist “The Six Wives” sehr gut lesbar, das Buch liest sich beinahe wie ein Roman. Dies liegt auch unter anderem daran, dass Weir in diesem Buch auf Fußnoten mit Quellenangaben verzichtet, was ich sehr angenehm fand. Stattdessen befindet sich am Ende des Buchs eine ausführliche Erörterung sämtlicher Quellen, was für ein populärwissenschaftliches Buch meiner Meinung nach die optimale Lösung ist. Da ich die Autorin schon kannte und weiß, dass sie äußerst gründlich recherchiert und alle denkbaren Quellen ausgräbt, habe ich diese lange Erörterung gar nicht mehr gelesen, ich vertraue ihr da.

Das Buch eignet sich besonders für Leser, die noch nicht so vertraut sind mit der Geschichte Henrys, aber auch “fortgeschrittene” Leser können hier noch Neues entdecken.

Ein populärwissenschaftliches Buch, das in gut lesbarer Form genau das liefert, was es verspricht.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am notoriously slow reading non-fiction (I still have not finished John Adams). So I gave this book 5 stars as I could not put it down. I read it in a week (and it is a substantial size book). It reads as nicely as any fiction (much like I thought seabiscuit was).

I learned so much about stories that I was a little familiar with already -- I just had no idea that they were in reality even crazier than I learned. Politics, deception, ambition, religion, and a tad bit of "crazy" make for some of the bizarrest scenarios in all history.

The idea that "sex" or in more euphemistic term "lines of succession" completely dominated all aspects of these peoples lives is really fascinating. I gave thanks a thousand times over that the quality of my life is not dependent on my ability to have a son especially in a time period where the very attempt to have a child would likely cause my own death.

That Henry VIII actually lived and that these stories are in fact true is a testament to the line "truth is stranger than fiction".

I think anyone would enjoy this book.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ένα πολύ ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο που αφηγείται τη σχεδόν θρυλική ιστορία των έξι γυναικών που είχαν την τύχη - ή την ατυχία αν προτιμάτε - να στεφθούν βασίλισσες στο πλευρό του Ερρίκου του 8ου. Μέσα από την ιστορία αυτών των γυναικών η συγγραφέας μας μεταφέρει με εξαιρετικό τρόπο στην ταραγμένη εποχή όπου κυριαρχούσε αυτή η πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα προσωπικότητα. Παράλληλα όμως δεν ξεχνά ότι πρόκειται για έξι ανθρώπινες ιστορίες που αξίζει να τις εξετάσουμε και από τη συναισθηματική τους πλευρά για να μπορέσουμε να καταλάβουμε ποιες ήταν αυτές οι γυναίκες που επηρέασαν την ιστορία σε τόσο μεγάλο βαθμό.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid and entertaining history of the lives of the women who had the good fortune and the bad luck to marry England’s most legendary and terrifying king.

This is a fascinating collection of seven intertwining biographies: six women and one man; not to mention the families and the powerful individuals fighting it out in the deathmatch that was politics in the age of the Tutors. This was a world that was still very much medieval in its flavor and outlook but we can see the changes beginning, the shifts that would eventually lead to the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution in the Modern World.

Of the wives, I found myself feeling the most sympathy for Catherine of Aragon. She seemed like a sincere person who didn’t deserve to be pushed aside the way she was. I think she did herself no favors by standing on her principles and insisting on her rights. It’s true enough that we all need to have our principles that we won’t back down on, otherwise we’d be left with the moral compass of a psychopath. It’s just too bad that hers left her on a collision course with an overwhelmingly powerful man who did have the moral compass of a psychopath. She might as well have tried to stand up to an avalanche.

I didn’t find myself with much sympathy for Anne Boleyn. She did herself no favors. I’m not saying she deserved what she got, but she wished worse on others. She just didn’t come across as very likable. There were ways to survive the snake pit she had willingly dived into but she was never able to rein in her pride and vengefulness enough to give them a try. Her ambition and insecurity ended up being her undoing. Of course Henry deserves a lot of the blame for what happened but it just feels like you might as well blame a volcano for erupting.

Jane Seymour comes off a bit better, though her eagerness to see Anne Boleyn in her grave so she could hurry up and marry the king did her no credit. She definitely seemed to have had a better handle on how to win friends and influence people, the chief of which being to give the king a son and die before he gets tired of you.

The episode with Anne of Cleves does more than just show how incredibly shallow and superficial Henry was. She could have been upset that the king didn’t find her good-looking enough to get his motor running and insisted on her rights, which probably would’ve left her as bad or worse off than Catherine of Aragon, but instead she embraced her narrow escape and gained more wealth and freedom than any woman had a right to dream of back then. I liked Anne of Cleves. She seemed like a nice person who managed to make very good use of her winning lottery ticket.

Catherine Howard seemed like such a tragic figure. Sure she was shallow and not very bright but then she was just a barely educated teenager whom men had been taking advantage of since she hit puberty, if not sooner. It may be that the only real asset she possessed was her looks, but that doesn’t excuse Henry for allowing her to be killed because a fat old man wasn’t enough to keep her eyes from straying. She never had a chance.

I found Catherine Parr to be very likable. She didn’t really want to marry Henry, and who can blame her, but she knew that there was no real choice in the matter so she bent with the wind. She managed to navigate those treacherous waters and, after Henry’s death, marry for love. It’s just too bad that the shallow pretty-boy she married could’ve done more to deserve such a wife. She was brilliant and very sensible and was one of the ones who saw to the Princess Elizabeth’s education which is perhaps one of the reasons why Elizabeth was destined to become one of the greatest monarchs England would ever know.

Then, of course, there was the complex and dangerous narcissist at the center of the storm. I’m not sure if Henry had much of a chance to be better, being raised the way he was. He was clearly brilliant and he knew it. He was also shockingly self-centered. I understand how important having a son was both to him and to England itself, but I can't help but feel there were less vicious and bloodthirsty ways to go about it. He started out with all the good intentions in the world and only gradually morphed into the monster that he is commonly understood to be today. There was a lot more to the man than his image. He started his reign being mostly loved by his subjects and ended it being mostly feared, but not really universally hated. For all that he did wrong, he must’ve done something right, at least in the eyes of the people of his time. Still, if I were a woman living back then, knowing what I know, I would’ve fled the country the moment he showed any interest.

It’s quite a story. I highly recommend this one.

[Ray Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read. I have read several books that cover the lives of the Tudors and more specifically Elizabeth, Mary and Henry. However, none had done much with the wives of Henry VIII beyond Jane Seymour having been the mother of Edward VI. So I picked this one up and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Weir has written several first class histories on this period so there is much overlap. The first third of the book was not only familiar, but in some cases a direct re-tracing of steps. However, the details were oriented toward the lives of the wives, not the politics or religion. In the middle of the book the story provides detail on not only the lives of the wives, but of Henry as a husband and private person. Weir creates a portrait of a powerful leader struggling with ruling a nation while growing older, heavier and having massive issues with fatherhood and fathering.

As the book gets to Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr, Weir does not disappoint. In many respects this is the same story I've read from the point of view of the Children of Henry, the Life of Elizabeth and other histories, but from the point of view and experience of these three women. Weir creates portraits of real people which allow the reader a meaningful experience beyond a simple understanding of the facts.

All six of these women had fascinating stories. Having been married to Catherine of Aragon the longest, the largest single portion involves her life. Having been married to Catherine Howard for the shortest interval, the book tells the tale and moves on. I enjoyed Weir's following through with the stories of Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr who outlived Henry. Thus, this was truly the story of the wives from beginning to end.

[Scott Sheaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Off with their Heads” . . . Oh wait that wasn’t Henry the VIII or was it? Find out why Henry had the heads of two of his wives lopped off. Was it that they were unfaithful or because they were not considerate of the French term Ménage à trios or was he simply looking for a way out of a bad relationship and couldn’t bring himself to tell them that “it was over”?

What motivated these women to marry Henry knowing that if they didn’t please him they could/would be killed? Was the last wife of Henry a mad crack whore or something?

What about the children? Find out if Henry really did sire “Bloody Mary”.

You’ll also learn much about the politics and workings of the royal court during the reformation of papal jurisdiction and the dissolution of the monasteries. But wait . . What did the wives of Henry have to do with England’s transfer of wealth and power from the church to the crown? Plenty! In fact I think that Henry’s desire to dump Catherine of Aragon was the sulfur that sparked the fire of reformation.

Easy to read and well researched. The story behind the six queens is filled with spies and double spies and has all the makings of a Tom Clancy novel.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

the way i need the artist for the villainess is a marionette or villains are destined to die to pick up a Catherine of aragon webtoon

[Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hardly ever read books that are not novels. But this was just as fascinating as a novel. And helped me understand that interesting period.