Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and His Six Wives Through the Writings of the Spanish Ambassador Eustace Chapuys

by Lauren Mackay

The reports and despatches of Eustace Chapuys, Spanish Ambassador to Henry VIII's court from 1529 to 1545, have been instrumental in shaping our modern interpretations of Henry VIII and his wives. As a result of his personal relationships with several of Henry's queens, and Henry himself, his writings were filled with colourful anecdotes, salacious gossip, and personal and insightful observations of the key players at court, thus offering the single most continuous portrait of the central decades of Henry's reign. Beginning with Chapuys' arrival in England, in the middle of Henry VIII's divorce from Katherine of Aragon, this book progresses through the episodic reigns of each of Henry's queens. Chapuys tirelessly defended Katherine and later her daughter, Mary Tudor, the future Mary I. He remained as ambassador through the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, and reported on each and every one of Henry's subsequent wives - Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katharine Parr - as well as that most notorious of ministers Thomas Cromwell. He retired in 1545, close to the end of Henry VIII's reign. In approaching the period through Chapuys' letters, Lauren Mackay provides a fresh perspective on Henry, his court and the Tudor period in general.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Tudor Period, Biography, Historical, Royalty, Medieval

478 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Dr Lauren Mackay is an historian of Early Modern Europe, specialising in Tudor history. Originally from Sydney, Australia. Lauren spent over five years researching the life of Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys, who for 18 years was the most important source of the Tudor period, resulting in her debut book, Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and His Six Wives Through the Eyes of the Spanish Ambassador.

Her second book, Among The Wolves of Court: the Untold Story of Thomas and George Boleyn, is the first scholarly biography of Thomas and George Boleyn.She is a regular contributor to BBC History and a lively and engaging voice on Tudor history.

Reviews

[Amy Licence · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s about time someone took a long, hard look at Eustace Chapuys. Without us really noticing, the dispatches of the Spanish Ambassador have shaped our interpretations of the court of Henry VIII, especially the Catherine of Aragon- Henry- Anne Boleyn triangle which still attracts so much fascinated interest almost five centuries after its heart-breaking events were played out. Equally, Chapuys has been dismissed as biased and misogynistic in his portrayals of Anne, making it difficult to glimpse the real man behind the diplomatic mask.

Now, historian Lauren Mackay has looked afresh at Chapuys’ letters, returning to his actual words, to decipher exactly what he did have to say. And what he didn’t. What emerges in this new book about the Tudor court is a complex diplomatic picture of a lively and clever man who defies the stereotypes perpetuated in some history books to shine as he takes centre stage. Mackay is successful in depicting the nature of the ambassadorial role in all its elements, from the need to flatter the King, balanced with Chapuys’ natural sympathies for Catherine’s plight, the practical problems of waiting for weeks for an audience, and coping when his salary wasn’t paid or his house burned down. This is the real Chapuys for once, not the vessel of myth and misinterpretation.

Mackay presents the details of Chapuys’ early life in an interesting and accessible style, setting him within the context of Annecy society, along with well researched information about his family and the city. She is also successful in conveying the touching relationship that develops between Chapuys and Catherine of Aragon, through the difficult years of her divorce and the sadness of her death, a few days after having been visited by her old friend. Likewise, it is interesting to read of his friendship with Thomas Cromwell, offering a new window on the portrayal of the master statesman, juggling to satisfy an increasingly despotic master. Readers who enjoyed Hilary Mantel’s portrayal of Cromwell, will find this a satisfying read.

Where Mackay really excels with Chapuys is in her process of stripping away his “mask of dissumlation.” This deconstruction necessitated the analysis of his letters and comparisons with commentators, whose words have been attributed to the ambassador, and the pin-pointing of the source of particular phrases and rumours. Everyone used to “know” that Chapuys denigrated Anne Boleyn as “the concubine,” but Mackay’s careful translations have proven that he was less hostile and allows us to see the personalities involved in Henry’s divorce through different eyes. She wades through the ambassador’s various obligations and efforts to present his art as a diplomat, operating among friends, enemies and unknowns, responsive to his Imperial orders and the fluctuating moods of the English King.

Interestingly too, Mackay allows us to see Chapuys as a survivor, outliving many of the big characters of his time, including Henry himself. She paints his developing closeness with Princess Mary as an almost paternal relationship, an extension of the affection and respect he held for her mother and a champion of her cause in the wake of her turbulent youth; he was one of the few people in whom she confided. I was delighted to see at the end of the book, that the retired Chapuys lived long enough to learn of Mary’s accession to the throne, although I did think Mackay may have missed a trick by not exploiting this fact as a satisfying narrative conclusion.

Inside the Tudor Court is a valuable new addition to an old topic. Well-told, full of first-hand source material and perceptive analysis, it allows a reader to gain another foothold on the slippery sands of Henry VIII’s divorce. With so many powerful figures involved, with such heartache and conflicting accounts, it is a complex and compelling episode in Tudor history and Mackay’s thorough research on this pivotal figure allows us to step closer to understanding the motivation and characters of those whose lives were forever altered by it. At last, Eustace Chapuys emerges as a complex central player, rather than a stereotypical foil for the King and his wives.

[Orsolya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reign of King Henry VIII is no mystery to us: we seem to know every detail from household accounts, foods that were consumed, songs that were exalted, clothes that were fashionable, to battles, treaties, disloyalties, and the intricate details of Henry VIII’s multiple wives. We certainly aren’t complaining as we literally ‘eat this up’ like a decadent dessert. However, we have one man to thank for some of the inside scoop to Henry’s court: the Imperial ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. Chapuys appears in all Tudor history texts as his records and correspondence are in the top, if not the very first, primary source material. Chapuys is seen in Tudor plays, films, fictional works, etc; yet, he is always a mere background character whose importance and person we attempt to strip even though we take advantage of his almost two decades at the English court. Chapuys is beyond deserving of recognition. Lauren MacKay pulls Chapuys center stage once and for all in, “Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and his Six Wives through the Eyes of the Spanish Ambassador”.

MacKay doesn’t hesitate to hit the ground running, opening “Inside the Tudor Court” with captivating intrigue, setting the pace for a page-turner. Readers couldn’t put down the text if they tried and the glue is instantaneous. More often than not, historical portraits of figures who aren’t centric nobility generally leave a flimsy legacy and therefore a biography is quite ambitious. These texts rarely bring the figure to life and discuss the environment and/or events in the macro view and painfully draw out the clear absence of facts. This is NOT the case with “Inside the Tudor Court”. MacKay invites readers into a background look at Chapuys immediately revealing the life that shaped the man behind the famous Tudor court letters to the Spanish king. Chapuys bursts into a breathing, living thing and readers feel like they are walking alongside him.

Once this foundation is in place, MacKay profoundly layers “Inside the Tudor Court” with various narratives. The text doesn’t merely relay and/or interpret the missives written by Chapuys to simply describe the Tudor court happenings. Rather, MacKay also uses sleuth-like detective work and analytical research to explain how Chapuys succeeded, his methods, his motivations, his psyche, and so forth. “Inside the Tudor Court” is riveting enough that readers will never look at Chapuys the same again; finally giving him the esteem he deserves as a cunning philosopher, intellectual spy, ambassador, philanthropist, and humanist. Each page is insightfully complex and blends into a seamless narrative.

MacKay never defaults to tangents and cleanly streamlines the text while unpeeling the multitude of personas that constituted for the Chapuys whole. “Inside the Tudor Court” is far from ‘dry’ even though it is academic and scholarly. MacKay infuses the text with beautiful language and vivid imagery but never dampening the credibility of the work. Relying on primary sources, leads “Inside the Tudor Court” into the true world of Chapuys using quotes from the letters written by Chapuys to Charles.

One would naturally expect bias to slip into such a piece but “Inside the Tudor Court” only occasionally highlights MacKay’s personal elucidations and these are passing rather than propaganda influence. MacKay excels at the ratio of Henry’s court history with a biography of Chapuys, the man. It would appear that both MacKay and her editor are at the top of their games.

In between the first and second embassies led by Chapuys; MacKay offers a breakdown of the political roles and relationships empowered by Chapuys. This is the only ‘weak’ portion of “Inside the Tudor Court” as this is somewhat interjecting and out-of-place.

The concluding chapters of “Inside the Tudor Court” are thinner in comparison to the former chapters and scant in the personal details of the life of Chapuys. A wrap-up summarizing the man’s prosperity would have been welcome but, overall, it is still solid.

MacKay includes 16 (!!!) pages of color photo plates to supplement “Inside the Tudor Court” plus a list of primary and secondary sources and notes (hardly annotated).

“Inside the Tudor Court” is utterly fantastic and should be a case study for contemporaries with the same aspiration. Informative, credible, perfectly-stylized, and entrancing; “Inside the Tudor Court” is recommended for all readers interested in Henry VIII’s court, the inter-relationships between England and surrounding Europe, and Eustace Chapuys, himself. “Inside the Tudor Court” is an absolutely incredible piece of work.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. Mackay's stated intention of drawing a more rounded depiction of an important figure is an interesting way to understand a complex and turbulent period in British history.

However, Mackay's less than rigorous treatment of the contemporary source material leaves us with a rather bland depiction of Chapuys, despite her claims to the contrary. Instead of analysis of the sources, which rely far too much on diplomatic dispatches only, the reader instead is treated to Mackay's own (partisan?) paraphrasing. And instead of using the sources to tell her reader about Chapuys, she uses them predominately to retell the story of Henry and his wives. A subject matter that has been dealt with in more detail and with considerably more skill by other historians.

To compound my disappointment in a hugely anticipated book, is the scattering throughout of basic errors. Whether it is attributing portraits to incorrect collections, or wrongly stating that James IV of Scotland was planning an invasion in the 1530s ( he was killed at Flodden in 1513!) these errors leap from the page. If I were to be charitable these errors can be attributed to a poor editor, but combined with my previous observations on Mackay's superficial treatment of source material, it does make one wonder at Mackay's integrity as a historian.

Overall I think that Mackay's premise is an interesting one, and I agree that Chapuys deserves much more study in his own right, and not merely to shed light on Henry's matrimonial affairs. However, I wish that Mackay had done so more rigorously and drawn on a wider range of source material. Instead I am left with neither a clear idea of Chapuys' character nor much confidence in Mackay as a historian of any weighty authority.

[Carolina Casas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few good books manage to paint a good portrayal of misunderstood historical characters just as Chapuys but Mackay has managed to do it, going deep into the life and dispatches of this statesman. What emerges is a complex man who is neither fanatic or malevolent but an intelligent, pragmatic and skillful diplomat.
Eustace Chapuys was a Roman Catholic but he was not a fanatic as he is often thought of, some of his acquaintances had Reformist sympathies and others were well known for criticizing both faiths such as Erasmus and Cornellius Agrippa. Eustace Chapuys is often hated for being one of the architects for the fall of Anne Boleyn, however the truth is that he didn't engineer her fall and the names that he is often accused of calling Anne Boleyn like "concubine" and "whore" are not from his dispatches but from other Imperial ambassadors who were working at the time in Rome. Chapuys was in contact with them, so their letters get mixed up and all these negative connotations they had of Anne don't even come from Chapuys pen! Moreso when Chapuys did call her concubine he was paranoid and distraught after Katherine's death -who in his mind was the image of perfect queenship and nobody could replace, nobody- but in most of his letters he just called Marquess or Lady, or the King's mistress. During his time in England he grew very attached to Mary Tudor and during the second time he was recalled to England and he had to leave (temporarily) to Calais, she was his eyes and ears. So that being said, why should we care, what makes him different from every other ambassador? He was much more detailed, that's why we should care. The other ambassadors didn't live up to his reputation and after he left Charles sent a reprieve to his replacement (Francois Van Der Defelt) whom Chapuys defended but later wrote to him advising him that he should be more detailed and work harder on his letter. Clearly Charles missed his old ambassador, nobody was more detailed and more involved in courtly affairs than Eustace Chapuys. During the time he was away (1539-1540) we have no real information about the Tudor court, just rumors and some heresay but no detailed information until he comes back.
Most of what we know of Henry VIII and his six wives is thanks to his letters and his involvement in courtly affairs. He was present in courtly events whereas other ambassadors found these events dull and tiresome. Also Eustace Chapuys was not afraid to form allies and network with the merchants which helped him a lot and helped him establish a wider network of informants or spies for even when he was away, he always knew what was going on.
Mackay's assessment of him after he retired as Nestor is well put. He did become a councilor, Charles and Defelt still sought his advice but that is not all he did. Beyond giving advice he also founded colleges for the underprivileged in his native Annency and Louvain where he retired.
His good work was not without sacrifice or without bias. Eustace Chapuys would exaggerate in some of his letters, especially when he was in need of money (and during his second and last embassy he often was), and regarding Katherine and Mary. The latter are understandable given the emotional attachment he formed with them.
The final note is on the rest of the wives, while he had no love for Anne, he was cordial with her family and first met with the Boleyn family and even dined with them on several occasions; in his dispatches surrounding the Boleyns' fall, he makes note of how ridiculous the charges are and how he doesn't believe any of them and makes a final note on her demise where he expresses his admiration for her shattering the myth of the malignant ambassador. Jane Seymour he expressed surprise but was comfortable in her presence and while he didn't consider her educated as her predecessors, she had a deep understanding of the court and regarding Anne of Cleves his observations are made after her divorce (what comes of Anne of Cleves' during her marriage to Henry are thanks to his rival, Charles de Marillac), expressing that she was a sweet woman and also very humble. He reports very little regarding Catherine Howard's affairs, probably because the proceedings against her were secret or because he didn't believe them to be all true, and last but not least he gave nothing but praises to Katherine Parr whom he considered the best match Henry could have ever made and his last words to her were of gratitude for what she had done to Mary and coming personally to bid him farewell.
It's about time we had a book on Eustace Chapuys. For every history buff like me you will enjoy this book a lot.

[Adrienne Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating in-depth look at one of the most prolific writers of the Tudor court. Dr. Mackay has clearly done her research, creating an engaging narrative that draws you right in. Highly recommend!

[Toni Kely-Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique look at the wives of Henry VIII through the Ambassador Eustace Chapuys. He is very familiar to me but only because he is referred to as source material for the work of historians on the Tudor period. But I knew little about the man himself, other than historian’s painting him as having a biased view and lens of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn because of his own values, strong catholic beliefs and as Ambassador to Spain.

Lauren Mackay goes to the source material (Chapuys letters) to understand and interpret what he actually said and in what context. He seems to have been a very respected and intelligent man who advocated tirelessly on behalf of Catherine of Aragon and her daughter Mary Tudor. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on his relationship with Thomas Cromwell and how he was able to navigate the Tudor Court, especially with the complex and unpredictable Henry VIII!

What surprised me (but shouldn’t really) is how certain phrases and words of Chapuys has been taken out of context over time eg. referring to Anne Boleyn as the “concubine” which then are used to say he was hostile or biased and isn’t a reliable source. However, when reviewing his letters and communications in their entirety he was less hostile than we are led to believe.

There is so much written about the Tudor Court, and many sadly recycle old material and don’t bring anything fresh but this ticked the box and provided a new angle I hadn’t read before.

[giveusaclue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was amazed at the amount of information still available from the Chapuys' letters to the Spanish King. It appears that he suffered from lack of remuneration from his boss in much the same way as the Percys did with Henry IV.

I enjoyed reading the history of the times from the perspective of an outsider and the personal touches such as when his lodgings burned down and he lost pretty well everything except the clothes he was wearing and how others such as the merchants came to his aid. His role as a mediator between the traders from various countries and his personal concern and care for Katherine of Aragon and Mary stand out.

Once thing is very clear - politicians of all eras are/were devious beggars, stringing one side along while courting the other. You certainly had to watch your back, particularly in respect of Henry VIII who comes across as the sort who was probably a spoiled brat as a child and never recovered from that!

[Bernard W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting look at Eustace Chapuys - Reading through Mackay's bibliography alone shows the effort the author went to in order to bring Chapuys for this generation to us. I liked how nothing was whitewashed. Chapuys comes across as so different from everything I've heard about him. The depth of feeling and humanity in this person for those around him, even his enemies at their worst amazed me and I applaud the author for cutting through any pop culture temptations to bring the original and the best Chapuys to us. There's something amazing about feeling like you're in at the beginning of something, and with inside the tudor court I felt I was in that with both this newer, highly charged Chapuys and I hope this author. I look forward to what Mackay does next.

[Joe Boenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside Tudor England in the view of a Savoyard

For the main part, the author of this book collects portions of the writings of Eustace Chapuys, ambassador of the holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. I am not sure why the author, Lauren Mackay, calls Chapuys the Spanish ambassador. True, Charles V was king of Spain, but more importantly, perhaps in this era, he was head of the Holy Roman Empire. This ambassador was from Savoy, which at that time was part of the empire. He was not a Spaniard.

But perhaps it is better to say that this ambassador was a true renaissance man, with a more universal culture than that of Savoy or Spain or even the Empire.

The letters that he writes are to the emperor, whom he keeps updated on the situation in England. Of special interest in the beginning was the welfare of queen Catherine of Aragon, who was the Emperor‘s aunt. The ambassador goes into many details as he writes the emperor, but he doesn’t waste time on mirror, cultural realities. as such, we do not know exactly what life was like in England, if we only rely on the ambassadors writings. What we do know is the political policies of the king and the difficulties of the court of England as they relate to the Empire , to Catholic Rome and to other countries in Europe.

I became interested in this book because I knew of Eustace Chapuys from his contributions in his native Savoy, and the impact of his contributions to education there on later generations, specifically in the 1600s. Having said this, I am sure this book can be of interest to those who want a deeper insight into life in Tudor England, and into the character and policies that the ambassador encountered in Henry VIII. If so, such readers can find this book not only interesting but valuable.

[Gareth Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In much the same way as Eustace Chapuys' negative appraisal of Queen Anne Boleyn helped shape her historiography for so many years, the academic swing in the tragic queen's favour, particularly following Eric Ives's magisterial 1986 biography of her, saw Chapuys cast in the light of a malign intriguer who got more wrong than right when it came to Boleyn - and, by an extension of logic, everyone around her.

Lauren Mackay sets out to rescue her subject from this two-dimensional view and she does so with great success. If Anne Boleyn was much more likeable than suggested by Chapuys, he too is worth a lot more than the Anne Boleyn matter. This biography brims with the author's passion for her subject, beginning with a charming and vivid account of his home town in Annecy, where he is still commemorated in street names and local architecture. Mackay does well too where the sources are silent by sketching the broad outlines of his life before he was sent to England in 1529, freely admitting that there is much we do not know about Chapuys's life but credibly suggesting various possibilities based on what we do know. It's what all Tudor historians have to do from time to time, it's full of pitfalls and Mackay does better than most in weaving her way through it. Once Chapuys gets to England as an ambassador, where his legal training was intended to help the beleagured Katherine of Aragon, Mackay is able to make use of the mountains of letters that her subject wrote to the Hapsburg Emperor and his sister, Mary of Hungary, and the picture becomes clearer still.

Mackay's strengths are not just her zeal for the thin and rather elegant man she's writing about, but also her ability to analyse his thoughts and to make full use of his lengthy and colourful correspondence. She is right when she points out that without Chapuys's letters Tudor history, as we know it, simply would not exist. There were a few times when I did not fully agree with her conclusions. However on moments when I, or any reader, might disagree with Mackay's conclusions on certain minor points they are still so well-argued and well-written that they can be taken seriously and respected. "Inside the Tudor Court" has no unreasonable assessments and its author presents the information clearly enough that she allows her readers to make their own conclusions. She invites them, as it were, to share in her enthusiasm for Charles V's servant.

This is a wonderfully useful book that brings to life the colourful and often confusing world of the Henrician court, as seen through the eyes of one of its most gifted if controversial observers. Lauren Mackay deserves considerable praise for setting Chapuys back in his context and reminding us, regardless of whom he quarrelled with or why, what a debt we all owe him. She makes Chapuys both an esteemed intellectual but entirely human, she allows him her foibles - I particularly enjoyed the point she makes about his correspondence's relative lack of descriptions of the English court's numerous entertainments: he didn't enjoy them and thought them slightly frivolous, so he told the Emperor he wouldn't bore him with the details.

There has long been a need for a biography of this complex figure and Lauren Mackay has certainly delivered it.

[me · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, it's 'That Guy' from every book about the wives of Henry VIII! Now with the starring role in a book about him after too many years of being 'always the bridesmaid, never the Concubine'! The main part of the book concerns the Great Matter and Chaypus's relationships with Katherine of Aragon and her daughter Mary; he's as supportive of them as you'd expect but not to the point of being uncritical.

The book felt like it sort of faded out towards the end, but that might just be me having less interest in the politics of military alliances and war than in the tangled, ever-thorny personal lives of the Tudors.

Katherine Parr doesn't get much attention, and he was back on the continent during Anne of Cleves's short period as queen. In this book Chapuys seems less consistently opposed to Anne Boleyn as a person, which is interesting when there are other works that basically discount him as a credible source for being so partisan in the Great Matter. I hadn't realised he got on so well with Thomas Cromwell, probably because the books I've read that cited Chapuys were focussing on what he personally thought of this or that queen consort.

One thing that surprised me was the lack of quotations from his dispatches, I think I was expecting this to be more heavy on showing the sources (in translation) than it actually is.

There's a few typos and mistakes in this book, at least in the Kindle edition. More than once it refers to James IV of Scotland as a political player long after his death, and there's mention of the "archbishop of Winchester," a position that didn't exist and never has. Those made me wonder how many other mistakes/typos I simply missed due to lack of knowledge.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, I thought this was well written and it was easy to read. I think that Mackay has done a job in debunking all the *Evil Chapuys* myths that have been around for ages. People automatically assume that Chapuys was Hispanic because he was Spanish Ambassador, not true. Chapuys was born in Annecy, which is in south eastern France. Another myth is that Chapuys was this ardent Catholic who hated anyone who was not Catholic. Again, not true, Chapuys had friends from both sides, Catholics and Protestants. Infact he had developed a close friendship with Thomas Cromwell, I think that it was sad that the two men really never had a chance to say a final farewell before Cromwell was executed. There was a lot more then what I mentioned here, but overall I would recommend this book. If you haven't read, I would say that it was a must buy.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a lot of people, my perception of Eustace Chapuys had been formed from his portrayal in non-fiction books and the tv series The Tudors; however, this book has completely knocked that on the head.
Lauren's painstaking research shines through on each page as she strives to tell us about the man behind the often maligned name. I found myself going, "I didn't know that!!!" as I read.
Bravo on such an incredible autobiography on a figure I now see as a brilliant diplomat for his time.

[Carson Crandall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent view based upon not a general stance - but slightly sided. Certainly we know a lot about Tudor court from the ambassador's correspondence; the book gives him good reverence.

[Janet Wertman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the idea alone of assembling the writings of Eustace Chapuys into a book is brilliant - and Mackay does a great job of presenting the man as well.

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really an excellent book. The story of Henry VIII told from another perspective. Well researched and well written.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of King Henry VIII and his six wives has been regaled for centuries in different mediums. We love the marital problems of this one English king because of how much of an impact it made on all of Europe in the 16th century and beyond. Yet our love affair with the Tudor dynasty would not have gotten to the point that it is today without the tireless efforts of the ambassadors who went to England to report the news of the day to their respected kings and emperors. We tend to think that the ambassadors are better left in the shadows, working to promote peace between countries and report what was happening, but one man made a name for himself as an ambassador and transcended time. His name was Eustace Chapuys. His story and his mission are finally being told in Lauren Mackay’s brilliant debut book, “Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and his Six Wives through the eyes of the Spanish Ambassador”.

I have heard about this book in the past and how much of an impact it has made in the Tudor community in the past. I have read Lauren Mackay’s two other books and I have enjoyed them thoroughly and so I really wanted to read this book.

To understand the man behind the now-infamous words about the Tudors, especially Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, we have to go back to Chapuys hometown of Annecy. It is here where we see the Chapuys family rise in prominence to the point where Eustace Chapuys was employed by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as the Spanish Ambassador to England. His main job was to report information back to Charles about the Henirican court as accurately as possible.

Chapuys started his job as ambassador at a critical junction in English history when Henry VIII was in the middle of his divorce from his first wife Katherine of Aragon in 1529. Chapuys admired Katherine of Aragon’s strength and worked tirelessly to protect her daughter Mary. Since Chapuys had a close connection to those who were essential in the Tudor court, he has given historians fabulous insights into these tumultuous times. It was really his relationship with Anne Boleyn which has caused a lot of controversy over the years and has blackened Chapuys’ name for centuries. Mackay has masterfully examined Chapuys’ correspondences to uncover the truth about how he felt about the Tudor court from 1529 until 1545.

You cannot separate Tudor history during the reign of Henry VIII and the works of Eustace Chapuys, which is why this biography and Mackay’s research are so essential in understanding the 16th century. It sheds new light on the stories of Henry VIII and the lives of his six wives; Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Chapuys was not afraid to speak his mind and to share the rumors of the day, which gives us significant insight into how the royal family was perceived by their public, both the positive and the negative aspects.

Eustace Chapuys has been one of those ambassadors who we think we know, but do we really? Mackay has rescued the much-maligned messenger of Charles V and restored him to the glory that he so rightfully deserves. Chapuys’ story was hidden in plain sight, but it took an extraordinary historian to bring his story to the spotlight. If you think you know about Eustace Chapuys and the Henrician court, you need to read this sublime biography, “Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and his Six Wives through the eyes of the Spanish Ambassador” by Lauren Mackay. It might change how you view the Tudor dynasty.

[BlueRoseFire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good: It's great to see a book that focuses on Chapuys, providing what details there are about his life and more details about his interactions with various people at the Tudor court. I liked the excerpts from his dispatches, and going through the timeline from his arrival in the middle of the Great Matter through the various later years. You can tell the author spent a lot of time going through the archives.

The problematic: I expected more serious analysis of his dispatches, rather than the narrative treatment of just putting them together to tell a story. The author is guilty of the things she says other historians do. She's right. There is bias against Chapuys, which can lead to discrediting some of what he says. However, she is guilty of bias in favor of Chapuys, leading to her acceptance of what he says.

For example: She'll either quote or summarize an excerpt from his dispatches about conversations or events that happened. She'll acknowledge the information comes from one of his sources, so we can't know for sure if the source's report is true, but then she'll say it's likely true to the "mood" of what X was feeling, or that so and so likely did behave that way. Based on what? If there is no other information to corroborate a conversation, event, or comment allegedly made, then we can't know either way how much of the report it's true. I agree the author can still use the excerpt or write a summary, but it was bizarre how she seemed to contradict herself within the same paragraphs. She often offerred no critical analysis of why we should accept the information as true. She also tended to simply post the quote or summary in a way where she was taking everything at face value, without interrogating there could be reasons for the sources or to lie, or that - gasp, Chapuys could be lying. Instead, Chapuys must have felt this, Chapuys wasn't biased in this instance - it was the other person who was! It became overkill and made me as suspicious of the author as I am of the people who paint Chapuys in an always negative light. Mackay also too often described Tudor figures through Chapuys's eyes, which would have been fine if only when talking about Chapuys, but she also took Chapuys's pov in instances that were supposed to be her pov as an author.

Overall, I'm glad I read this, as I do think it provides some new information not found in bios of other Tudor figures. That said, the author fell into many of the traps she accused other authors' of doing. Read this for the infomration but be skeptical and critical of taking it all as "true."

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were to use one word to describe Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and his Six Wives through the eyes of the Spanish Ambassador, that word would be: insightful. The correspondence of Eustace Chapuys, the long-serving ambassador of Charles V, has long been used by historians and biographers to gain the inside track on the machinations of Henry’s court. Often that correspondence was cherry-picked to illustrate one particular view or another. In contrast, Lauren Mackay gives us a splendid account of Chapuys himself as well as a comprehensive overview of his activities. Inside the Tudor Court evinces scholarship deeply immersed in primary sources. Mackay describes Chapuys as “…by all accounts charming but had a steely disposition and could scheme almost as well as Wolsey. In short he was the ideal ambassador…” (p. 29) Mackay also commands a broad knowledge of the secondary literature of the period, allowing her to place the events of the Tudor court into the context of wider European affairs. The book is about much more than Chapuys or Henry VIII, and that is only one great strength that makes this book commendable. Mackay notes Chapuys’ devotion to Katherine of Aragon and her daughter Mary, to which Chapuys goes to extraordinary lengths, although I’m not quite ready to agree that Chapuys’ “…determination to protect Mary without doubt kept her safe and, most importantly, alive.” (p. 274) But that’s a quibble in an otherwise outstanding contribution to Tudor studies. It is surprising that it has taken so long for such a solid scholarly account on Chapuys to appear. It’s been worth the wait.

[Ondrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historians studying the Tudor court have much to thank Imperial ambassador Eustace Chapuys for his colorful and very detailed despatches and letters that serve as one of the prime sources into inner-workings of its governmant, nobility and to grand politics of 16th century England.

There are many misconceptions about Chapuys. He was accused to be an uncaring diplomat, a misogynist, for calling Anne Boleyn "la putain" and "the concubine," but Lauren Mackay puts that into perspective by probing his deep loyalty and inextinguishable devotion towards Queen Katherine and her daughter Princess Mary. What emerges is a completely different man as you might expect. (He didn't even call Anne "la putain," that was someone else, but it was laid at Chapuys' gate.)

Overall a positive read as I got to know Chapuys better and correct my misjudgment of Chapuys' person. Someone I considered more of a footnote in history turned out to be a caring man and a shrewd political player using only his wits, pen and a lots of letters.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

It's close to impossible to read a work of non-fiction about Henry VIII or any of his wives without coming into contact with Eustace Chapuys. But as Lauren Mackay says, he is often confined to the footnotes of history or even written off due to his biases. This book allows him and his accomplishments to shine. It also allowed me to see some of the events of Henry's reign in a different light. Most importantly though, it made me realize how much of what we know about Henry's court is thanks to Chapuys and his invaluable dispatches. This book gave me a whole new appreciation for Chapuys and I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Henry VIII or his wives.

[Mrs Hilary Anne Dibble]

Really excellent account of life at the court of Henry VIII, more readable than almost any other history book I have read. The TV series Wolf Hall and Hilary Mantel’s books on which it was based had introduced us to Chapuys and the book provided so much wonderful detail of his life as ambassador of the Imperial Emperor. Highly recommended - one of the few books I have read recently which I was reluctant to finish.

[Kymberly Ruh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve owned this book for awhile, I was feeling a bit of intimidation to start it. However I regret not reading it sooner! Simply put, this book does not disappoint! For any Tudor lover, Mackay’s deep dive study of the most referenced Diplomat is a must read. I applaud her steadfast work in breaking down all the letters and dealings she describes in the book. Absolutely illuminating!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents the pollical and religious struggles within Henry VIII court. Eustace Chapuys arrives at court during the most dramatic time. He observes the worse of the English court, even finding himself in defense of Henry's second wife, giving us an insight that even her worst enemies were against the chargers

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just wonderful. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Tudor history. Lauren Mackay not only does the man great justice, she also provides the reader with a highly engaging work.

[Stephen Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and enlightening view of Henry VIII’s reign from the perspective of the Imperial ambassador and, equally, an exploration of the character of Eustace Chapuys in large part through his interactions with the Tudor court.

[Gail Jo Jansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of the best books on the period I’ve ever read. I can’t believe it took this long for someone to write from Chapuys’ perspective, but Dr. Mackay was the perfect scholar to do so. I think this book is essential for any Tudor enthusiast. Highly recommend.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. I loved seeing the Tudor court through Chapuys eyes. Well written and engaging. I feel like I know much more.

[JillianC · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Tudor biographies I've read. Dr Mackay has are created a world in such an impressive way, I could not put it down. Chapuys for the ages!

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those interested in Henry VIII and his court this is a perfect read