What do you think?
Rate this book
Henry VIII: The King and His Court
Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent–and dangerous–courts in Renaissance Europe. Never before has a detailed, personal biography of this charismatic monarch been set against the cultural, social, and political background of his glittering court. Now Alison Weir, author of the finest royal chronicles of our time, brings to vibrant life the turbulent, complex figure of the King. Packed with colorful description, meticulous in historical detail, rich in pageantry, intrigue, passion, and luxury, Weir brilliantly renders King Henry VIII, his court, and the fascinating men and women who vied for its pleasures and rewards. The result is an absolutely spellbinding read.
642 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
865 people are currently reading
15850 people want to read
About the author
Alison Weir
81 books8,457 followersLibrarian 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews
April 16, 2022
This is t h e book if you want to find out about Henry VIII and his court. There are some others that might deal with Henry’s wives, or come up with some fancy idea to illustrate his life, but basically this biography is still the one to read if you want a comprehensive picture of Henry VIII’s life.
There is maybe one possible serious alternative by Clayton Drees (around half as long as Alison Weir’s book), but since the book has only been published on 15th April 2022 and is prohibitively expensive in paper form, I have not had a chance yet to read it.
However, if you want an extremely well-researched matter-of-fact written biography about this infamous king of England, I can absolutely recommend this title.
5 out of 5 stars.
There is maybe one possible serious alternative by Clayton Drees (around half as long as Alison Weir’s book), but since the book has only been published on 15th April 2022 and is prohibitively expensive in paper form, I have not had a chance yet to read it.
However, if you want an extremely well-researched matter-of-fact written biography about this infamous king of England, I can absolutely recommend this title.
5 out of 5 stars.
October 4, 2011
I have to rate Alison Weir's 'Henry VIII-King and Court' a five star read. You get exactly what it says on the tin. A vast and fully comprehensive work, covering over five hundred pages, along with the obligatory sixty pages of notes.
As the author states in her introduction, this is not a political history of the reign, her brief here is to record the events that help to build up a picture of the life and ethos of the King and the court. The reader of Tudor history may well have to go elsewhere for greater depth and detail of Henry's six wives, or of the many monumental events that effected the cultural, social or political climate of the age. Instead the olde worn caricature of Henry VIII is dusted off and given a more realistic treatment illuminated with the light of modern research. Therefore this book is filled with a myriad of detail of court life from the Privy Chamber to the culinary creations of the royal kitchens down to the names of the pet dogs.
Other Tudor writers like Hutchinson or Starkey do disagree with Weir on various points, but in the main that does not detract from my enjoyment of this fascinating book. We have certainly come a long way from the portrait created by Charles Laughton.
As the author states in her introduction, this is not a political history of the reign, her brief here is to record the events that help to build up a picture of the life and ethos of the King and the court. The reader of Tudor history may well have to go elsewhere for greater depth and detail of Henry's six wives, or of the many monumental events that effected the cultural, social or political climate of the age. Instead the olde worn caricature of Henry VIII is dusted off and given a more realistic treatment illuminated with the light of modern research. Therefore this book is filled with a myriad of detail of court life from the Privy Chamber to the culinary creations of the royal kitchens down to the names of the pet dogs.
Other Tudor writers like Hutchinson or Starkey do disagree with Weir on various points, but in the main that does not detract from my enjoyment of this fascinating book. We have certainly come a long way from the portrait created by Charles Laughton.
November 5, 2021
3.75 stars rounded up
This is heavily researched and unbelievably detailed. In addition to the normal lists that usually make up Weir's non fiction history books, there's also descriptions of castles & palaces, kitchens, beds, clothing, jewels, food, drink, medicine, etc.
Everything you wanted to know about this period as it relates to the King & court.
This is slow going and a bit tedious.
I would not recommend the audiobook for this.
This is heavily researched and unbelievably detailed. In addition to the normal lists that usually make up Weir's non fiction history books, there's also descriptions of castles & palaces, kitchens, beds, clothing, jewels, food, drink, medicine, etc.
Everything you wanted to know about this period as it relates to the King & court.
This is slow going and a bit tedious.
I would not recommend the audiobook for this.
March 29, 2013
There, in a charity shop, completely unblemished as in a proper bookshop, lay Weir’s encylopaedic description of one of the most magnificent courts of English royalty. And it was mine for only 95p.
I’ve not read any of Weir’s books before. She’s written about pretty much every Tudor monarch or individual connected with Tudor monarchy you can think of. I used to read books like this all the time but the 1001 list has my heart set on novels. Because this was immaculate and a tenth of the price it was supposed to be, I snapped it up though. It sat well with my reading of Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies.
There are plenty of reviews out there which complain that this book isn’t actually about Henry VIII at all. They complain that it’s hard to find the king, buried as he is under the detailed descriptions of the world he inhabited. Having read the book, I agree. This book should really be entitled The Court of Henry VIII.
But that didn’t bother me too much. I wasn’t after a blow by blow description of his life. I was after a description of the times, and although the book was mis-named, I tried not to let this distract me from what is after all a good history.
There’s not much narrative thread though, and readers should be forgiven for thinking that because the opening line starts with the death of Henry VII they’re going to get a chronicle of the next 40 years. They’re not. What they do get are just over 500 pages split into 63 chapters. This works out at just under 8 pages a chapter. While this seems quite short, the book is printed in something like 5pt font. And each of these chapters deals with a different facet of the court. I’ll admit, I found it slow going.
But it wasn’t slow going in the way a plate of broad beans is slow going. This was slow going in the way treacle pudding with custard is slow going. You want to take your time. You want to gaze on the awesome jewel-encrusted splendour before you, to soak yourself in the sumptuous riches of cloth of gold, velvet and syphilis.
Wait, no! He didn’t have syphilis! This is a common myth and one of many that Weir debunks in her attempt to get at the truth behind a man who was very much larger than life. In the end, he appears as one who ruled according to the beliefs of his day. Let’s not forget that these shifted like the sands of the Thames estuary and doomed many who attempted the passage.
Henry was a magnificent statesman, of that there is no doubt. He may well have even been the preeminent one of his day. But he was a product of his time and Weir shows this very well. It is a flattering portrayal.
However, like the wardrobes of the day, Weir’s writing is weighed down by almost ludicrous attention to detail. There are more characters in here than a Russian epic and it’s hard to keep track sometimes of who is central to the events described. There are long lists of things, clothes, purchases, buildings, gifts, animals, etc., etc. It’s all a bit too much sometimes.
If you are a fan of the Tudors and not too much of a fan of Henry, you’re going to love this. If you are after a more traditional biography of Henry himself, be warned that this might be a frustrating read.
I’ve not read any of Weir’s books before. She’s written about pretty much every Tudor monarch or individual connected with Tudor monarchy you can think of. I used to read books like this all the time but the 1001 list has my heart set on novels. Because this was immaculate and a tenth of the price it was supposed to be, I snapped it up though. It sat well with my reading of Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies.
There are plenty of reviews out there which complain that this book isn’t actually about Henry VIII at all. They complain that it’s hard to find the king, buried as he is under the detailed descriptions of the world he inhabited. Having read the book, I agree. This book should really be entitled The Court of Henry VIII.
But that didn’t bother me too much. I wasn’t after a blow by blow description of his life. I was after a description of the times, and although the book was mis-named, I tried not to let this distract me from what is after all a good history.
There’s not much narrative thread though, and readers should be forgiven for thinking that because the opening line starts with the death of Henry VII they’re going to get a chronicle of the next 40 years. They’re not. What they do get are just over 500 pages split into 63 chapters. This works out at just under 8 pages a chapter. While this seems quite short, the book is printed in something like 5pt font. And each of these chapters deals with a different facet of the court. I’ll admit, I found it slow going.
But it wasn’t slow going in the way a plate of broad beans is slow going. This was slow going in the way treacle pudding with custard is slow going. You want to take your time. You want to gaze on the awesome jewel-encrusted splendour before you, to soak yourself in the sumptuous riches of cloth of gold, velvet and syphilis.
Wait, no! He didn’t have syphilis! This is a common myth and one of many that Weir debunks in her attempt to get at the truth behind a man who was very much larger than life. In the end, he appears as one who ruled according to the beliefs of his day. Let’s not forget that these shifted like the sands of the Thames estuary and doomed many who attempted the passage.
Henry was a magnificent statesman, of that there is no doubt. He may well have even been the preeminent one of his day. But he was a product of his time and Weir shows this very well. It is a flattering portrayal.
However, like the wardrobes of the day, Weir’s writing is weighed down by almost ludicrous attention to detail. There are more characters in here than a Russian epic and it’s hard to keep track sometimes of who is central to the events described. There are long lists of things, clothes, purchases, buildings, gifts, animals, etc., etc. It’s all a bit too much sometimes.
If you are a fan of the Tudors and not too much of a fan of Henry, you’re going to love this. If you are after a more traditional biography of Henry himself, be warned that this might be a frustrating read.
June 16, 2009
In one sense, I am at a disadvantage in assessing this volume. I am not an historian of this era, so I cannot confidently judge well the accuracy of Alison Weir's rendering of events and people.
That said, I am most impressed with this work. The author covers many aspects of English history--including day-to-day life--of the time. We read of medical practice (ugh), music, art, architecture, customs, drama, clothing, sports (e.g., hunting, archery, tennis, jousting, and so on), the internecine politics (when losers could lose their lives; politics was serious business), and the relationships among families in England of the era. This book is as much about the country at that time as about Henry VIII.
Henry VIII is portrayed in great detail. This is not a Charles Laughton view of the king. It is much more nuanced. It is true that, if Weir be correct, Henry became more rigid and unforgiving and vain and distrusting and autocratic as he aged. He drove England close to financial ruin with his wars (which often had little effect, even though costing much) and with his incessant building projects (his own palaces as one key example).But this should not detract from other of his accomplishments. He supported the arts; he was one of the more educated and intellectually oriented monarchs of the time. It may be that Weir romanticizes him to some extent, and that ought to be noted. But his was not simply a dissipated period in English history.
Of course, many would wonder about his rendering of the multitudinous wives of the monarch. Weir does spend time on this part of his life, including the Machiavellian politics associated with Henry's marriages (factions would use potential wives as pawns in power struggles). Weir's assessments of the various wives are pretty fair. We might be surprised to know of his affection for Katherine of Aragon; it is fascinating to watch the pas de deux between Anne Boleyn and Henry before their wedding; and so on.
Then, the descriptions of the hard ball politics of the era--featuring actors such as Wolsey, Cromwell, More, Cranmer, and the nobles of the time.
All in all, an accessible and very readable work on Henry VIII and his time. I'd strongly recommend. . . .
That said, I am most impressed with this work. The author covers many aspects of English history--including day-to-day life--of the time. We read of medical practice (ugh), music, art, architecture, customs, drama, clothing, sports (e.g., hunting, archery, tennis, jousting, and so on), the internecine politics (when losers could lose their lives; politics was serious business), and the relationships among families in England of the era. This book is as much about the country at that time as about Henry VIII.
Henry VIII is portrayed in great detail. This is not a Charles Laughton view of the king. It is much more nuanced. It is true that, if Weir be correct, Henry became more rigid and unforgiving and vain and distrusting and autocratic as he aged. He drove England close to financial ruin with his wars (which often had little effect, even though costing much) and with his incessant building projects (his own palaces as one key example).But this should not detract from other of his accomplishments. He supported the arts; he was one of the more educated and intellectually oriented monarchs of the time. It may be that Weir romanticizes him to some extent, and that ought to be noted. But his was not simply a dissipated period in English history.
Of course, many would wonder about his rendering of the multitudinous wives of the monarch. Weir does spend time on this part of his life, including the Machiavellian politics associated with Henry's marriages (factions would use potential wives as pawns in power struggles). Weir's assessments of the various wives are pretty fair. We might be surprised to know of his affection for Katherine of Aragon; it is fascinating to watch the pas de deux between Anne Boleyn and Henry before their wedding; and so on.
Then, the descriptions of the hard ball politics of the era--featuring actors such as Wolsey, Cromwell, More, Cranmer, and the nobles of the time.
All in all, an accessible and very readable work on Henry VIII and his time. I'd strongly recommend. . . .
July 23, 2011
I always enjoy Alison Weir's books - she has a lively, engaging style and a knack for bringing both her subjects and the world they lived in truly to life, and this book is no exception. Henry VIII is a larger than life figure anyway: after all, every schoolchild grows up knowing 'divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived'. But there was a lot more to the man than the simple stereotype of a fat, bloated tyrant who chopped his wives' heads off. Charting his evolution from a handsome young prince with idealistic views of learning and governing to his latter incarnation as, yes, a fat bloated tyrant is truly fascinating.
The sheer amount of detail in this book is incredible - from the food Henry and his court ate, the houses they lived in, to the clothes they wore, down to the very sheets of the beds, nothing is too small or insignificant to escape mention. It really serves to bring the Tudor court to full colour and vigour.
My only quibble is that is perhaps focuses too much of Henry's life at court and not enough on his European relations; and the Reformation itself is somewhat skated over. But then, the title of the book is 'King and Court' and Henry's life within his English Court is the focus of the book, not his international relations with France, Spain and Rome.
The sheer amount of detail in this book is incredible - from the food Henry and his court ate, the houses they lived in, to the clothes they wore, down to the very sheets of the beds, nothing is too small or insignificant to escape mention. It really serves to bring the Tudor court to full colour and vigour.
My only quibble is that is perhaps focuses too much of Henry's life at court and not enough on his European relations; and the Reformation itself is somewhat skated over. But then, the title of the book is 'King and Court' and Henry's life within his English Court is the focus of the book, not his international relations with France, Spain and Rome.
August 26, 2021
It's like reading or listening to a fable, a fairy tale when you were a child. You knew the story line, you knew the outcome, and yet you never tired of listening once again and reliving it.
Initially this biography struck me as too hagiographocal with the King painted as a wunderkind. He is being portrayed as this beningn, good looking and talented in every area he touched golden prince. Now I realise this favourable treatment is in comparison to other princes and kings, but this is not explicitly stated. So instead, it looks as if parents of a spoiled child tried to present him to the world as a prodigy.
I'm sure he was not a genius nor even particularly intellectual person, and his egotistical traits, the need to be the centre of attention didn't suddenly appear in his later life, as a result of "stress and straints". This glazing over his defects early in the book is really dissonant with what we know about Henry VIII, about his later "caricature " of himself.
Nevertheless, Alison Weir's admiration had to be balanced out. Facts speak for themselves. Weir managed to pack a lot in this biography, but with so many people in King's circle she could have easily filled another one. What I liked most was that she included descriptions of many customs and traditions from the Tudor court, and explined which appeared at this particular time.
After reading wonderful Hilary Mantel's novels I had to keep reminding myself that some of the characters in those novels were reimagined after Weir and other biographers published their books, and the truth about the King, Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell lies somewhere in the middle. Weir was not as imaginative even at trying to give Moore a different dimension. Anne Boleyn and Cromwell, as always, bore the ultimate blame, both almost deserving their fate. Can't buy that anymore, after Mantel's alternative view.
Overall, it is very accessible and easy read, especially if you already know a thing or two about the King and the events described here. But even if you don't, don't let the size of this biography put you off.
I probably would like some more in depth detail, but for that I intend to read some biographies of Henry's courtiers.
Initially this biography struck me as too hagiographocal with the King painted as a wunderkind. He is being portrayed as this beningn, good looking and talented in every area he touched golden prince. Now I realise this favourable treatment is in comparison to other princes and kings, but this is not explicitly stated. So instead, it looks as if parents of a spoiled child tried to present him to the world as a prodigy.
I'm sure he was not a genius nor even particularly intellectual person, and his egotistical traits, the need to be the centre of attention didn't suddenly appear in his later life, as a result of "stress and straints". This glazing over his defects early in the book is really dissonant with what we know about Henry VIII, about his later "caricature " of himself.
Nevertheless, Alison Weir's admiration had to be balanced out. Facts speak for themselves. Weir managed to pack a lot in this biography, but with so many people in King's circle she could have easily filled another one. What I liked most was that she included descriptions of many customs and traditions from the Tudor court, and explined which appeared at this particular time.
After reading wonderful Hilary Mantel's novels I had to keep reminding myself that some of the characters in those novels were reimagined after Weir and other biographers published their books, and the truth about the King, Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell lies somewhere in the middle. Weir was not as imaginative even at trying to give Moore a different dimension. Anne Boleyn and Cromwell, as always, bore the ultimate blame, both almost deserving their fate. Can't buy that anymore, after Mantel's alternative view.
Overall, it is very accessible and easy read, especially if you already know a thing or two about the King and the events described here. But even if you don't, don't let the size of this biography put you off.
I probably would like some more in depth detail, but for that I intend to read some biographies of Henry's courtiers.
June 6, 2024
Was this one of the driest books I've ever read on the Tudors? Yes. Did I love every minute of it? Yes. Please invite me to a Tudor trivia night.
August 4, 2024
ah, at last! a tome of my great deeds, and not of my ill-fated wives.
August 5, 2014
Un exhaustivo y soberbio trabajo sobre la corte de Enrique VIII, uno de los personajes más controvertidos de la historia de Inglaterra y de la historia Universal sin lugar a dudas. Sus castillos, sus costumbres, la moda, los alimentos y hasta detalles de la higiene (o la falta de ella) que se practicaba en esos entonces.
Los primeros capítulos abordan minuciosamente todo lo escrito arriba. El resto de la obra es una radiografía de cada personaje cercano al Rey y su corte. Por fortuna, no se enfoca específicamente al tema de él y sus esposas. Ya hay mucho de ello en otros libros y la misma Alison Weir ya se ocupó de ello en un libro especial.
La lectura es a veces cansada por tanto y tanto detalle (Tomen nota de los tapices, los muebles y otras banalidades del interior de sus palacios) pero no por ello desmerece un trabajo que no es otra cosa que una fotografía en alta definición en escrito, tanto así que uno puede palpar la época, las pasiones y la vida social y política de una Inglaterra que decidió caminar sola partiendo de la soberbia y a la vez, magnificencia de un hombre como Enrique Tudor.
Lean todo lo que tengan que leer, resuelvan sus pendientes, pidan vacaciones, pues un libro con medio centenar de páginas dedicadas a la bibliografía, merece respeto y tiempo. Al menos, respeto al trabajo de la autora, indudable experta en el tema.
Los primeros capítulos abordan minuciosamente todo lo escrito arriba. El resto de la obra es una radiografía de cada personaje cercano al Rey y su corte. Por fortuna, no se enfoca específicamente al tema de él y sus esposas. Ya hay mucho de ello en otros libros y la misma Alison Weir ya se ocupó de ello en un libro especial.
La lectura es a veces cansada por tanto y tanto detalle (Tomen nota de los tapices, los muebles y otras banalidades del interior de sus palacios) pero no por ello desmerece un trabajo que no es otra cosa que una fotografía en alta definición en escrito, tanto así que uno puede palpar la época, las pasiones y la vida social y política de una Inglaterra que decidió caminar sola partiendo de la soberbia y a la vez, magnificencia de un hombre como Enrique Tudor.
Lean todo lo que tengan que leer, resuelvan sus pendientes, pidan vacaciones, pues un libro con medio centenar de páginas dedicadas a la bibliografía, merece respeto y tiempo. Al menos, respeto al trabajo de la autora, indudable experta en el tema.
October 3, 2015
Alison Weir is one of my very favorite historians. I do not at all recommend reading her historical fiction for many and varied reasons, but her straight history is great. Well-researched, well backed up, and she frequently has some pretty interesting new theories to throw in the mix to make her books even more fun to read. She specializes in Tudor history, which, you know, my crack, so naturally I was quite pleased to find a book of hers that I hadn't read.
Sadly, it's not her best. Henry VIII: The King and His Court tries to be, as the title says, a biography of the king and a snapshot of the Tudor court at the same time, and it doesn't succeed terribly well. The first half of the book is heavily weighted towards the court, describing how it was organized, how it worked, and the people who attended it, while the second half covered Henry's reign in greater detail than the first half. There wasn't a lot of overlap; so we didn't get much about how the court was affected by the events of Henry's reign and vice versa. We also didn't get to hear a lot about what Wolsey and Cromwell were doing to actually run the kingdom, which is perhaps understandable but still frustrating. Plus, the first half was very difficult to get through because it was a lot of names and details without a lot of context.
Weir did also leave out a lot of the turmoil surrounding Henry's various marriages, but as she wrote an entire (much better) book specifically about them, I'll cut her some slack on that. It seems to have been a deliberate choice anyway.
I don't think I would recommend this book unless you have a deep and abiding interest in the nitty-gritty everyday world of the Tudor court. In that respect it's an invaluable resource, but there are other and better biographies of Henry VIII if that's all you're after.
Sadly, it's not her best. Henry VIII: The King and His Court tries to be, as the title says, a biography of the king and a snapshot of the Tudor court at the same time, and it doesn't succeed terribly well. The first half of the book is heavily weighted towards the court, describing how it was organized, how it worked, and the people who attended it, while the second half covered Henry's reign in greater detail than the first half. There wasn't a lot of overlap; so we didn't get much about how the court was affected by the events of Henry's reign and vice versa. We also didn't get to hear a lot about what Wolsey and Cromwell were doing to actually run the kingdom, which is perhaps understandable but still frustrating. Plus, the first half was very difficult to get through because it was a lot of names and details without a lot of context.
Weir did also leave out a lot of the turmoil surrounding Henry's various marriages, but as she wrote an entire (much better) book specifically about them, I'll cut her some slack on that. It seems to have been a deliberate choice anyway.
I don't think I would recommend this book unless you have a deep and abiding interest in the nitty-gritty everyday world of the Tudor court. In that respect it's an invaluable resource, but there are other and better biographies of Henry VIII if that's all you're after.
July 21, 2020
Just not a very good book at all, there was no chronology or themes, it was pretty much exclusively about what cutlery Henry used.
I don’t mind the odd section on the finer details of court life but the title does also include KING so I expected a little bit (any) information on the life and time’s of the king himself.
I don’t mind the odd section on the finer details of court life but the title does also include KING so I expected a little bit (any) information on the life and time’s of the king himself.
October 31, 2025
Uskomattoman yksityiskohtainen kuvaus Henrik VIII:n ylellisen hovin rakenteista, ihmisistä ja tavoista. Tämä antoi uusia näkökulmia myös sellaiselle, joka on lukenut paljon Kuningas Henrikiin liittyvää kirjallisuutta, kuten allekirjoittaneelle.
Kirja näyttää myös syvän henkilökohtaisella tavalla, kuinka täydellinen renesanssiprinssi muuttui vuosien kuluessa julmaksi tyranniksi.
Kirja näyttää myös syvän henkilökohtaisella tavalla, kuinka täydellinen renesanssiprinssi muuttui vuosien kuluessa julmaksi tyranniksi.
April 2, 2017
This book did not take me as long as some other dense history books I've read, so I am overall proud of myself.
In school I was told that I should steer clear of Alison Weir when doing research for a paper. For the life of me I can't understand why! This book was thoroughly researched and crafted, why should it be discredited because it's considered 'popular history.' Then I noticed while reading Lucy Worsley's "If Walls Could Talk," that in her acknowledgements she thoroughly thanked Weir for "Henry VIII: The King and His Court" as it provided great insight into Tudor England. If the amazing Worsley, who holds my dream job as Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, can use Weir as a source, why can't I?!
I loved the in depth discussion of small, everyday facts of life for Henry VIII, it really made the past come alive for me. It painted a full picture of Henry VIII that is not often seen, a man of contradictions who loved greatly one moment then despised whole heartedly the next; a man who was brave and prideful, but also fearful and somewhat private and self conscious. His legacy both the good and the bad are not shied away from by Weir.
There was so much about Henry Book's building projects, palaces, and houses. A slew of these old Tudor sites have now been added onto my list of places to visit in England. My wallet will surely suffer.
In school I was told that I should steer clear of Alison Weir when doing research for a paper. For the life of me I can't understand why! This book was thoroughly researched and crafted, why should it be discredited because it's considered 'popular history.' Then I noticed while reading Lucy Worsley's "If Walls Could Talk," that in her acknowledgements she thoroughly thanked Weir for "Henry VIII: The King and His Court" as it provided great insight into Tudor England. If the amazing Worsley, who holds my dream job as Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, can use Weir as a source, why can't I?!
I loved the in depth discussion of small, everyday facts of life for Henry VIII, it really made the past come alive for me. It painted a full picture of Henry VIII that is not often seen, a man of contradictions who loved greatly one moment then despised whole heartedly the next; a man who was brave and prideful, but also fearful and somewhat private and self conscious. His legacy both the good and the bad are not shied away from by Weir.
There was so much about Henry Book's building projects, palaces, and houses. A slew of these old Tudor sites have now been added onto my list of places to visit in England. My wallet will surely suffer.
July 31, 2009
I love this book,and I find it a very easy read. Weir has a way of making the story of Henry VIII and his court come alive for her readers . Weir also have a knack for finding little known facts that most historian only skip over. Like the fact that prior to Anne Boleyn trial for treason, In April it was announce that Anne was pregnant. In May she was arrested,and she was beheaded on May 19. Weir ask the question, uh, what become of the pregnancy?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2025
Ik heb dit boek in 2001 gekocht en lees het nu voor de 3e keer. Ik kijk op dit moment (weer) The Tudors en hoewel ik er enorm van geniet, heb ik ook behoefte aan historische feiten!!! :-)
Daarom deze heerlijke biografie, die ook heel goed laat zien hoe het hof werkte. Laat het maar aan Alison Weir over om in 500 pagina's het hele ingewikkelde leven van Hendrik VIII met alle gebeurtenissen helder en duidelijk te vertellen.
Daarom deze heerlijke biografie, die ook heel goed laat zien hoe het hof werkte. Laat het maar aan Alison Weir over om in 500 pagina's het hele ingewikkelde leven van Hendrik VIII met alle gebeurtenissen helder en duidelijk te vertellen.
December 12, 2014
This is a maticulously researched history, not a novel. In fact, this books from its first pages points out how poorly researched are most novels about this great English king. If you want to know Henry the 8th, I would recommend reading and studying this book by Alison Weir.
July 22, 2022
Very good. Pretty comprehensive in its overview of Henry's life. Weir Does an excellent job of describing the details of Henry's court. The biography though does not focus on narrative as Weir focuses largely on the palaces, the food, and the various other material goods enjoyed by Henry VIII and the lack of narrative, particularly early on meant that the start was quite slow. However, as it went on it picked up pace somewhat, and was both enjoyable and interesting to read.
December 25, 2024
Alison Weir's biography of Henry VIII is extensive, well-researched, and exhaustive, not just detailing the life of the king but, as the subtitle suggests, that of his court, as well. The book gets three stars from me for two reasons only: 1) the biography is told less chronologically and more through certain events or certain subjects of court life, which in some cases made the timeline of his life harder to understand; 2) about halfway through I realized I don't care that much about Henry VIII.
March 13, 2026
A detailed, lucid and elegantly written account of arguably the most influential and divisive monarch in English history.
The book is both a linear history of Henry's life and reign and a more focused exploration of many aspects of courtly life, such as sporting pastimes, fashion, dining tastes, etiquette, and social dynamics. Most of my interests concern ancient history, but this book's meticulous and erudite exploration of courtly life in 16th-century England has kindled a newfound interest in early-modern English history.
Growing up, Henry VIII was a much-discussed figure in school history classes and in broader culture, mostly for his six tumultuous marriages. However, Henry VIII's reign was much more impactful than just his marriages, and the man presented by Weir is much more nuanced than the common perception in people's minds.
During his reign, England and Europe more broadly were undergoing a significant era of change and upheaval across theological and humanist matters. The youthful Henry VIII, portrayed by Weir, embraced humanism and enjoyed rigorous debate. He read many theological works as well as classical literature and was well versed in both Latin and Greek. Even being praised by noted humanist and later courtier, Erasmus, for his excellent writing skills in Latin. Henry was one of the first monarchs to be brought up with a teaching in matters of new Learning, and his Humanist tutors imbued an interest in Henry for art, history, geography and architecture. Henry had a variety of ornate maps, and dress tastes were far more refined and diverse than in previous ages, a key sign of England’s belated following of Italy into the Renaissance Era.
Weir does an excellent job of displaying the artistic and architectural layout of Henry’s court. Detailing the many opulent palaces and hunting lodges built and renovated during Henry's reign, most notably Hampton Court, originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, and Richmond Palace. The layout of these palaces was meticulously designed, with the king’s convenience and privacy often taking precedence. Fortified castles had begun to go out of fashion in the 16th century, and Henry's palaces were built with greater artistic freedom, with grand gardens and dining halls as a primary feature.
Another aspect that Weir uses well is the use of records on court expenses. This shows the amount of money spent on things such as food, renovations and gambling. This allowed her to counteract the bias of contemporary writers and shed light on more niche but nevertheless important matters. It showed how expenses varied depending on court size and particularly costly rounds of gambling. His recorded medical expenses also show the increasing severity of his illness in 1546, as they rose to seven thousand five hundred in December, up from one thousand five hundred in August of that year.
Weir touched on the importance of class and status in courtly life; each meal depended on the recipient's social status and proximity to the king. Certain dress and ornaments were also limited to the nobility to restrict access to the growing merchant class.
Henry VIII's reign was characterised by continued hostility to France and other European powers and an increasing religious split with the Papacy. Weir notes that although Henry remained a devout catholic his whole life and strongly criticised Lutheranism, he also was willing to challenge traditional theology and he was surrounded by protestant sympathisers in his court. The first legal English bible was printed during his reign, despite earlier repression of English Bibles and concerns over peasants reading the bible and interpreting it for themselves. He adopted some of the more personal aspects of faith which would become associated with Protestantism. Most importantly, the split with Rome, the confiscation of various monasteries, and the diminishing influence of the traditionalists paved the way for the Protestant ascendancy under Edward VI.
Weir paints a more flattering image of Henry in his younger years: he is open-minded, skilled in poetry, physically active, intelligent, and jovial. Throughout his reign, this image slowly shifts. Weir highlights several factors for this. The first hypothesis was that Henry's leg injury sustained when he was unhorsed during a joust caused severe pain and possibly bouts of anger. Secondly, Henry's paranoia may have increased when, in the aftermath of Thomas Cromwell's execution, he became more involved in managing the intrigue at court. On top of these factors, failed marriages, succession dilemmas and possible medical issues may have resulted in the increasing cruelty and egotism associated with his later years. However, this isn’t to give the false impression that Weir’s narrative falls into the neat rise and fall tropes and she notes the mass executions of his early reign and occasional reemergence of his bonhomie character in later life do not point to a drastic personal change during his life.
Weir focuses far less on the military campaigns, only discussing Henry's first campaign in France and the later siege of Boulogne. Instead, she discusses the dynamics between Henry and Francis I and, in particular, the field of the cloth of gold meeting between the two respective courts. Certainly a monumental moment with great pomp and ceremony but with ultimatly inconsequencial influence. Henry is also shown to have a strained relationship with the rest of Europe, particularly after his split with Rome when Henry was excommunicated and England was essentially politically isolated from the rest of Europe. However, Henry was still able to cement alliances through marriages, particularly with his marriage to Anne of Cleves.
His marital life is discussed in sufficient detail, but is by no means the main aspect of the book. My takeaway was the large role intrigue and factionalism had in the execution of and marriages to his various wives. Anne Boleyn was likely the most important of his six wives. His marriage to Anne began the schism between Henry and the Pope, and her tastes had a large impact in popularising the French style at court. Anne enjoyed poetry, theology and possessed a forceful character with a shrewd mind, likely using her charm to secure a marriage with Henry before becoming discarded like Henry’s other mistresses. She, and later Catherine Howard, were executed for adultery and treason, something which is considered dubious but challenging to verify. After Catherine Howard’s death at just seventeen, she was buried near Anne Boleyn beneath the altar pavement of saint Peter. Weir poignantly concludes with the words of later Victorian writer Lord Macaulay that this was ‘the saddest spot on earth’
One of Weir’s primary areas of discussion was the factionalism and intrigue of Henry’s court. Influence on the realm was dependent on royal titles and inclusion/position in the Privy Council. There was also a litany of gentlemen of the court who mainly served as drinking buddies to Henry and other minor courtly positions.
There were a number of influential figures at Henry's court, including Hans Holbein, Thomas More and Lord Suffolk, but Weir singles out Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell as the chief powerbrokers at different points during his reign.
Cardinal Wolsey, lord chancellor from 1515-1529, was despised by much of the nobility for his lowly origins and opulent lifestyle. His lavish lifestyle saw him spend as much as ten million pounds in modern currency every year, with palaces and thousands of servants at his disposal. However he governed effectively and allowed Henry to indulge in other matters he was more interested in. Despite being a cardinal, he secretly kept a mistress who bore him children and seemed to have a revulsion to the poor, often holding an orange under his nose as he passed peasants in his carriage. He was ambitious and architectonic, something which put him into the good graces of Henry. He was caught up in the fallout with the split from Rome and fell out of favour.
Thomas Cromwell also came from a humble origin and rose like Wolsey to become Chancellor, being instrumental in the marriage and execution of Anne Boleyn. He was beheaded after the ill-fated advocacy for Henry’s third marriage to Anne of Cleves and the conspiring of his conservative enemies at court. It says a lot about Henry that he would allow two relatively obscure figures to hold such uncontested influence at court. However, after Thomas Cromwell's execution, Henry took far more forthright control in the administrative tasks of the realm and generally shunned his old inclination for revelry above all else.
The book really demonstrates how monumental Henry’s reign was. His forceful character and obstinacy, as well as the more gradual religious shifts of the time, caused great upheavals and political manoeuvring during his reign. His legacy is complex. Weir highlights that despite the executions and hostility from some of the nobility, he remained popular with the people throughout his life. Perhaps the close connection between kingship and divine authority contributed to the deferential reaction by the traditionalists at court. Even Thomas More, when being executed, insisted upon his loyalty to the king despite his objections to his marriage to Anne Boleyn. The fact that his descendants, such as Mary I and Elizabeth I, far from distancing themselves, often aligned themselves closely with their father shows his positive immediate legacy.
With this book, Weir has not only created a comprehensive account of Henry VIII, but also a great trove of information on the tastes and traditions of courtly life.
The book is both a linear history of Henry's life and reign and a more focused exploration of many aspects of courtly life, such as sporting pastimes, fashion, dining tastes, etiquette, and social dynamics. Most of my interests concern ancient history, but this book's meticulous and erudite exploration of courtly life in 16th-century England has kindled a newfound interest in early-modern English history.
Growing up, Henry VIII was a much-discussed figure in school history classes and in broader culture, mostly for his six tumultuous marriages. However, Henry VIII's reign was much more impactful than just his marriages, and the man presented by Weir is much more nuanced than the common perception in people's minds.
During his reign, England and Europe more broadly were undergoing a significant era of change and upheaval across theological and humanist matters. The youthful Henry VIII, portrayed by Weir, embraced humanism and enjoyed rigorous debate. He read many theological works as well as classical literature and was well versed in both Latin and Greek. Even being praised by noted humanist and later courtier, Erasmus, for his excellent writing skills in Latin. Henry was one of the first monarchs to be brought up with a teaching in matters of new Learning, and his Humanist tutors imbued an interest in Henry for art, history, geography and architecture. Henry had a variety of ornate maps, and dress tastes were far more refined and diverse than in previous ages, a key sign of England’s belated following of Italy into the Renaissance Era.
Weir does an excellent job of displaying the artistic and architectural layout of Henry’s court. Detailing the many opulent palaces and hunting lodges built and renovated during Henry's reign, most notably Hampton Court, originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, and Richmond Palace. The layout of these palaces was meticulously designed, with the king’s convenience and privacy often taking precedence. Fortified castles had begun to go out of fashion in the 16th century, and Henry's palaces were built with greater artistic freedom, with grand gardens and dining halls as a primary feature.
Another aspect that Weir uses well is the use of records on court expenses. This shows the amount of money spent on things such as food, renovations and gambling. This allowed her to counteract the bias of contemporary writers and shed light on more niche but nevertheless important matters. It showed how expenses varied depending on court size and particularly costly rounds of gambling. His recorded medical expenses also show the increasing severity of his illness in 1546, as they rose to seven thousand five hundred in December, up from one thousand five hundred in August of that year.
Weir touched on the importance of class and status in courtly life; each meal depended on the recipient's social status and proximity to the king. Certain dress and ornaments were also limited to the nobility to restrict access to the growing merchant class.
Henry VIII's reign was characterised by continued hostility to France and other European powers and an increasing religious split with the Papacy. Weir notes that although Henry remained a devout catholic his whole life and strongly criticised Lutheranism, he also was willing to challenge traditional theology and he was surrounded by protestant sympathisers in his court. The first legal English bible was printed during his reign, despite earlier repression of English Bibles and concerns over peasants reading the bible and interpreting it for themselves. He adopted some of the more personal aspects of faith which would become associated with Protestantism. Most importantly, the split with Rome, the confiscation of various monasteries, and the diminishing influence of the traditionalists paved the way for the Protestant ascendancy under Edward VI.
Weir paints a more flattering image of Henry in his younger years: he is open-minded, skilled in poetry, physically active, intelligent, and jovial. Throughout his reign, this image slowly shifts. Weir highlights several factors for this. The first hypothesis was that Henry's leg injury sustained when he was unhorsed during a joust caused severe pain and possibly bouts of anger. Secondly, Henry's paranoia may have increased when, in the aftermath of Thomas Cromwell's execution, he became more involved in managing the intrigue at court. On top of these factors, failed marriages, succession dilemmas and possible medical issues may have resulted in the increasing cruelty and egotism associated with his later years. However, this isn’t to give the false impression that Weir’s narrative falls into the neat rise and fall tropes and she notes the mass executions of his early reign and occasional reemergence of his bonhomie character in later life do not point to a drastic personal change during his life.
Weir focuses far less on the military campaigns, only discussing Henry's first campaign in France and the later siege of Boulogne. Instead, she discusses the dynamics between Henry and Francis I and, in particular, the field of the cloth of gold meeting between the two respective courts. Certainly a monumental moment with great pomp and ceremony but with ultimatly inconsequencial influence. Henry is also shown to have a strained relationship with the rest of Europe, particularly after his split with Rome when Henry was excommunicated and England was essentially politically isolated from the rest of Europe. However, Henry was still able to cement alliances through marriages, particularly with his marriage to Anne of Cleves.
His marital life is discussed in sufficient detail, but is by no means the main aspect of the book. My takeaway was the large role intrigue and factionalism had in the execution of and marriages to his various wives. Anne Boleyn was likely the most important of his six wives. His marriage to Anne began the schism between Henry and the Pope, and her tastes had a large impact in popularising the French style at court. Anne enjoyed poetry, theology and possessed a forceful character with a shrewd mind, likely using her charm to secure a marriage with Henry before becoming discarded like Henry’s other mistresses. She, and later Catherine Howard, were executed for adultery and treason, something which is considered dubious but challenging to verify. After Catherine Howard’s death at just seventeen, she was buried near Anne Boleyn beneath the altar pavement of saint Peter. Weir poignantly concludes with the words of later Victorian writer Lord Macaulay that this was ‘the saddest spot on earth’
One of Weir’s primary areas of discussion was the factionalism and intrigue of Henry’s court. Influence on the realm was dependent on royal titles and inclusion/position in the Privy Council. There was also a litany of gentlemen of the court who mainly served as drinking buddies to Henry and other minor courtly positions.
There were a number of influential figures at Henry's court, including Hans Holbein, Thomas More and Lord Suffolk, but Weir singles out Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell as the chief powerbrokers at different points during his reign.
Cardinal Wolsey, lord chancellor from 1515-1529, was despised by much of the nobility for his lowly origins and opulent lifestyle. His lavish lifestyle saw him spend as much as ten million pounds in modern currency every year, with palaces and thousands of servants at his disposal. However he governed effectively and allowed Henry to indulge in other matters he was more interested in. Despite being a cardinal, he secretly kept a mistress who bore him children and seemed to have a revulsion to the poor, often holding an orange under his nose as he passed peasants in his carriage. He was ambitious and architectonic, something which put him into the good graces of Henry. He was caught up in the fallout with the split from Rome and fell out of favour.
Thomas Cromwell also came from a humble origin and rose like Wolsey to become Chancellor, being instrumental in the marriage and execution of Anne Boleyn. He was beheaded after the ill-fated advocacy for Henry’s third marriage to Anne of Cleves and the conspiring of his conservative enemies at court. It says a lot about Henry that he would allow two relatively obscure figures to hold such uncontested influence at court. However, after Thomas Cromwell's execution, Henry took far more forthright control in the administrative tasks of the realm and generally shunned his old inclination for revelry above all else.
The book really demonstrates how monumental Henry’s reign was. His forceful character and obstinacy, as well as the more gradual religious shifts of the time, caused great upheavals and political manoeuvring during his reign. His legacy is complex. Weir highlights that despite the executions and hostility from some of the nobility, he remained popular with the people throughout his life. Perhaps the close connection between kingship and divine authority contributed to the deferential reaction by the traditionalists at court. Even Thomas More, when being executed, insisted upon his loyalty to the king despite his objections to his marriage to Anne Boleyn. The fact that his descendants, such as Mary I and Elizabeth I, far from distancing themselves, often aligned themselves closely with their father shows his positive immediate legacy.
With this book, Weir has not only created a comprehensive account of Henry VIII, but also a great trove of information on the tastes and traditions of courtly life.
December 26, 2011
What can really be said about Henry VIII which us Tudor obsessees don't know? Well, unless "Great Harry" comes back to life and personally answers some of our most burning questions; not much.
However, Alison Weir explores a different route in Henry VIII: The King and His Court. Unlike her usual novels which focus on a single event(s) or feature the biography/portrait of a historical figure; this book can be described as an entire Henry VIII museum wrapped into the confines of a book. Meaning: the same way that a museum exhibit would feature artifacts and smaller singular factoids, this novel also presents smaller glimpses into the Tudor court which you may have no experienced before. Yet, the entire novel is better if you are new to Henry VIII or seeking a refresher course. Not necessarily suggested for avid Henrican buffs. In fact, sometimes the book sadly is too dry and even at times, pointless.
The King and His Court is divided into two parts, in a sense. The first features a very informative view of the background life at court. This describes logistical details and a “behind the scenes” look while the second half the book is more in the realm of depicting actual events (more like Weir’s “regular” history books although it sometimes read like a research paper). Don’t expect too much on the wives, as Weir emphasizes in the foreword that this topic would not be covered in its entirety, although the King’s “Great Matter” is covered with a moderate chunk, as is Anne Boleyn’s downfall.
The first part of the book could have been a “go-to” for the researchers who worked on the Tudors TV series. Everything you need to know about background and “props” (furniture, household logistics, and administrative members) is answered in this section. Extensive details from games played to how many dogs a courtier could own, to what time one could defecate; is explored. Okay, the last one is an exaggeration but that is how detailed the research on Tudor life Weir presented. On the contrary, this can cause dragging and at some points too much focus on the decorum of the court.
There were valuable eye-openers. The chapter on “feeding the court” was remarkable. The amount of food and logistics which went into meal times is fascinating. Even more so, is the fact that records still exist of these details, even centuries later. The Field of Cloth of Gold was also deliciously well- described in its entire splendor. One of my favorite highlights was the story of how Henry gained the title “Defender of the Faith”. Although I am very familiar with the famous title which he made a hereditary term, it wasn’t necessarily explained clearly in previous works I have read.
Another pleasing factor was the included information on “secondary” individuals at court such as the Horenbouts (Gerard, Lucas, and Susanna) – the court illuminators— and other artists like the well-known Hans Holbein. However, I would have liked more passages on the fool we all know and love, Will Somers since he was in the court picture for 20 years.
Some parts of the book were too exhaustive in details and seemed like Weir just wanted to show-off her depth of research. At some points, I just wanted it to end, already. Weir would also repeat phrases which stuck-out like, “…good son of the church that he was…” when speaking about Henry. Either she was trying to hard to solidify the irony or she didn’t have a great editor. Plus, I was REALLY angered on page 296, paragraph 3, when I encountered the sentence, “It is was to Chapuys that Sir Nicholas Carew revealed his growing sympathy for the Queen and Princess Mary”. Even my Microsoft Word Spell Check just underlined and caught the “it is was” error, how did Weir and her editor miss it?!
It is very interesting to lean about the culture and art of the court (even the propaganda) in place during the Henrican events versus just the events, themselves. A different view can be refreshing and you will certainly learn some interesting factoids to impress people with (I know this for a fact as I lightly mentioned facts to my boyfriend daily while reading this book). Although Henry buffs may skim some areas, it is certainly worth a glance.
However, Alison Weir explores a different route in Henry VIII: The King and His Court. Unlike her usual novels which focus on a single event(s) or feature the biography/portrait of a historical figure; this book can be described as an entire Henry VIII museum wrapped into the confines of a book. Meaning: the same way that a museum exhibit would feature artifacts and smaller singular factoids, this novel also presents smaller glimpses into the Tudor court which you may have no experienced before. Yet, the entire novel is better if you are new to Henry VIII or seeking a refresher course. Not necessarily suggested for avid Henrican buffs. In fact, sometimes the book sadly is too dry and even at times, pointless.
The King and His Court is divided into two parts, in a sense. The first features a very informative view of the background life at court. This describes logistical details and a “behind the scenes” look while the second half the book is more in the realm of depicting actual events (more like Weir’s “regular” history books although it sometimes read like a research paper). Don’t expect too much on the wives, as Weir emphasizes in the foreword that this topic would not be covered in its entirety, although the King’s “Great Matter” is covered with a moderate chunk, as is Anne Boleyn’s downfall.
The first part of the book could have been a “go-to” for the researchers who worked on the Tudors TV series. Everything you need to know about background and “props” (furniture, household logistics, and administrative members) is answered in this section. Extensive details from games played to how many dogs a courtier could own, to what time one could defecate; is explored. Okay, the last one is an exaggeration but that is how detailed the research on Tudor life Weir presented. On the contrary, this can cause dragging and at some points too much focus on the decorum of the court.
There were valuable eye-openers. The chapter on “feeding the court” was remarkable. The amount of food and logistics which went into meal times is fascinating. Even more so, is the fact that records still exist of these details, even centuries later. The Field of Cloth of Gold was also deliciously well- described in its entire splendor. One of my favorite highlights was the story of how Henry gained the title “Defender of the Faith”. Although I am very familiar with the famous title which he made a hereditary term, it wasn’t necessarily explained clearly in previous works I have read.
Another pleasing factor was the included information on “secondary” individuals at court such as the Horenbouts (Gerard, Lucas, and Susanna) – the court illuminators— and other artists like the well-known Hans Holbein. However, I would have liked more passages on the fool we all know and love, Will Somers since he was in the court picture for 20 years.
Some parts of the book were too exhaustive in details and seemed like Weir just wanted to show-off her depth of research. At some points, I just wanted it to end, already. Weir would also repeat phrases which stuck-out like, “…good son of the church that he was…” when speaking about Henry. Either she was trying to hard to solidify the irony or she didn’t have a great editor. Plus, I was REALLY angered on page 296, paragraph 3, when I encountered the sentence, “It is was to Chapuys that Sir Nicholas Carew revealed his growing sympathy for the Queen and Princess Mary”. Even my Microsoft Word Spell Check just underlined and caught the “it is was” error, how did Weir and her editor miss it?!
It is very interesting to lean about the culture and art of the court (even the propaganda) in place during the Henrican events versus just the events, themselves. A different view can be refreshing and you will certainly learn some interesting factoids to impress people with (I know this for a fact as I lightly mentioned facts to my boyfriend daily while reading this book). Although Henry buffs may skim some areas, it is certainly worth a glance.
February 9, 2010
This biography is very impressive. In general I think Alison Weir is a fabulous biographer. Her research is very thorough and her writing isn't so full of details that you get lost. However, she has completely outdone herself with this book. I have read several books about the six wives of Henry VIII, but never a biography of his own life so this was a treat.
I always thought of Henry VIII as some egotistical monster that liked divorcing or beheading his wives so that he could move on to his next catch. Yes, he had an ego, a big one, but he wasn't a monster. He was influenced by so many things, his upbringing, his religious beliefs, and especially that of his personal counselors. I always thought of him as a one man show being king and head of the Church of England after he left the Catholic faith, but it wasn't that way at all. I didn't realize the impact that his counselors had on his decisions until I read this book. Anne Boylen wasn't taken down by Henry, she was taken down by his closest counselor, who didn't like her and wanted her gone. So he made her into an adulterer and a traitor, two things that she was not.
I love how the author puts you into Henry's world by describing how the court worked, what he ate, where he slept, what his rooms were like, what the houses/castles he lived in were like and what he wore. His daily life is very well described and is easy to imagine.
It was also interesting to find out more about what kind of person he was. He was extremely intelligent and talented. He was a marvel at sports of all kinds, played musical instruments, wrote music and poems and was very well educated. He was also a charmer and knew how to put on a good show. He had a big temper as well so everyone around him had to be careful about what they said or did in order to not incur his wrath.
He was very fit and active until he started to have a recurring infection in his legs that would send him to bed for weeks on end and eventually took his life. After the infection began he started putting on weight and it made his condition even worse. They don't really know what happened to him the last few weeks of his life as he was in almost total seclusion and no one let any information out about what was going on. So the cause of death can only be speculated at. His death was kept a secret for two days after he died.
Fabulous book. If you want to understand Henry VIII, read this. Definitely a different perspective than I had anticipated.
I always thought of Henry VIII as some egotistical monster that liked divorcing or beheading his wives so that he could move on to his next catch. Yes, he had an ego, a big one, but he wasn't a monster. He was influenced by so many things, his upbringing, his religious beliefs, and especially that of his personal counselors. I always thought of him as a one man show being king and head of the Church of England after he left the Catholic faith, but it wasn't that way at all. I didn't realize the impact that his counselors had on his decisions until I read this book. Anne Boylen wasn't taken down by Henry, she was taken down by his closest counselor, who didn't like her and wanted her gone. So he made her into an adulterer and a traitor, two things that she was not.
I love how the author puts you into Henry's world by describing how the court worked, what he ate, where he slept, what his rooms were like, what the houses/castles he lived in were like and what he wore. His daily life is very well described and is easy to imagine.
It was also interesting to find out more about what kind of person he was. He was extremely intelligent and talented. He was a marvel at sports of all kinds, played musical instruments, wrote music and poems and was very well educated. He was also a charmer and knew how to put on a good show. He had a big temper as well so everyone around him had to be careful about what they said or did in order to not incur his wrath.
He was very fit and active until he started to have a recurring infection in his legs that would send him to bed for weeks on end and eventually took his life. After the infection began he started putting on weight and it made his condition even worse. They don't really know what happened to him the last few weeks of his life as he was in almost total seclusion and no one let any information out about what was going on. So the cause of death can only be speculated at. His death was kept a secret for two days after he died.
Fabulous book. If you want to understand Henry VIII, read this. Definitely a different perspective than I had anticipated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2022
Ugh. DNF Reminded me of a high school history textbook where as much information as possible is crammed into the short space allotted for the topic. Unfortunately, in this case, it was not a short space which resulted in even more information crammed into a short space, lengthened. I'm sure this would be a good reference for someone writing historical fiction. They could comb through, picking out various tidbits to make their novel feel authentic. But for reading to satisfy curiosity about Henry, sheer drudgery. I finally stopped about 1/3 through. I need to wash out my mouth now with a trashy, mystery novel.
May 31, 2020
This is the fourth book by Weir I've read on the Tudor dynasty and it did not disappoint. Her focus is on the people in Henry's life and goes into great detail about everything: the many departments in his court, his friends, family, enemies, protocol and etiquette, religious devotions, and the minutiae of everyday life in medieval England. This is the stuff that makes history rich and fascinating.
November 11, 2023
I've read several of her nonfiction books and enjoy the way she describes history - very accessible. But I'm often surprised by her analysis of those events and people. In fact, based on her own presentation of the facts, I usually disagree with her.
July 20, 2016
Niestety to najsłabsza, a momentami najbardziej odtwórcza książka jaką czytałam w tym temacie.
----
Not a book that I would have recommended to anyone who is interested in Henry VIII regin.
----
Not a book that I would have recommended to anyone who is interested in Henry VIII regin.
December 30, 2020
Henry VIII is perhaps the most recognizable of all English monarchs. Yet many, at least in America, seem to mostly know him only as the king who chopped off his wives' heads. But his story is much more complex than that. Yes, Henry did have two of his wives executed, and he also executed several other prominent people and waged wars that bankrupted the country. But he was also a scholar, a patron of the arts, and a reformer who led the effort to change England from a medieval state into a more modern one.
Allison Weir spends much of the first quarter of her biography of Henry on the times: the dress, the food, the art, the manners, and so on. This sets the stage for a better understanding of Henry and his court. She then presents a good popular biography of Henry, exploring how he ruled and interacted with those around him, presenting but his accomplishments and his faults. Henry started out as the model Renaissance Prince: he was was well read, knowledgeable in many areas including theology, but also extremely athletic. But as he aged -- perhaps because of the pain caused by several chronic health problems -- he became more closed, more paranoid, and crueler. At times he regretted some of the cruel steps he took (such as the execution of Thomas Cromwell, who he only too late remembered he was his best servant).
Weir does her usual good job of making the issues and events understandable to readers who only know a bit of the history but are anxious to learn more. Her prose style is clear, so that readers don't bog down even when things become complicated. She's written a number of books on English history, including several on the Tudors. I've reader perhaps half of them, and all have been worth reading.
Allison Weir spends much of the first quarter of her biography of Henry on the times: the dress, the food, the art, the manners, and so on. This sets the stage for a better understanding of Henry and his court. She then presents a good popular biography of Henry, exploring how he ruled and interacted with those around him, presenting but his accomplishments and his faults. Henry started out as the model Renaissance Prince: he was was well read, knowledgeable in many areas including theology, but also extremely athletic. But as he aged -- perhaps because of the pain caused by several chronic health problems -- he became more closed, more paranoid, and crueler. At times he regretted some of the cruel steps he took (such as the execution of Thomas Cromwell, who he only too late remembered he was his best servant).
Weir does her usual good job of making the issues and events understandable to readers who only know a bit of the history but are anxious to learn more. Her prose style is clear, so that readers don't bog down even when things become complicated. She's written a number of books on English history, including several on the Tudors. I've reader perhaps half of them, and all have been worth reading.
April 16, 2022
If I had read this fully in the print version, I'd have gotten either lost or bored. The audiobook, however, is fantastic, and perfect for multiple, short car rides. Weir presents not only a comprehensive biography of Henry VIII but also a detailed look at the day-to-day life in the Tudor courts and how it changed over the course of Henry VIII's reign. I learned a ton I didn't know about Henry VIII and his wives, including quite a few dispelled legends. I read Weir's biographies of the Tudors chronologically backward, but that didn't take away from fascinating insights into this complicated, transformative time.
Two things were missing for me: first, more context on what was happening in Europe at large, and, second, some discussion of the effects of the naval buildup that started during this time. The Age of Exploration was well underway by this point and it's near impossible to overstate the effect of the British Navy on world history. Since that starts here, I expected at least some mention of it but Weir only includes one sea battle that took place near the end of Henry VIII's reign. This also coincides with the only brief mention of troubles in Scotland; no mention of Ireland is made at all.
This is an accessible, detailed biography of Henry VIII with a strong emphasis on understanding the cultural, religious, political, and personal forces at play during his life. Recommended to readers interested in the time period, particularly in audiobook format.
Two things were missing for me: first, more context on what was happening in Europe at large, and, second, some discussion of the effects of the naval buildup that started during this time. The Age of Exploration was well underway by this point and it's near impossible to overstate the effect of the British Navy on world history. Since that starts here, I expected at least some mention of it but Weir only includes one sea battle that took place near the end of Henry VIII's reign. This also coincides with the only brief mention of troubles in Scotland; no mention of Ireland is made at all.
This is an accessible, detailed biography of Henry VIII with a strong emphasis on understanding the cultural, religious, political, and personal forces at play during his life. Recommended to readers interested in the time period, particularly in audiobook format.
October 5, 2020
Naprosto vyčerpávající dílo o životě anglického dvora za vlády Jindřicha VIII. Dozvíte se prostě všechno! Oč se Jindřich VIII zasadil, jaké skvosty po sobě zanechal, co stálo být dvořanem v jeho područí, jak se doba vyvíjela a měnila, kdo a co bylo v kurzu... Autorka obsáhla neuvěřitelný rozsah informací. Místo to bylo čtení opravdu vyčerpávající, člověk si musí dávat dobrý pozor, aby se neztratil a udržel pozornost. Kniha mě ve výsledku bavila, nešlo o to, že by něco bylo více nebo méně poutavě napsáno, spíš mě některé aspekty zajímaly více než jiné. Pro milovníky tudorovské doby určitě moc dobré a zajímavé čtení.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews