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Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen
Shakespeare s enduring image of Richard III s queen is one of bitterness and sorrow. Anne curses the killer of her husband and father, before succumbing to his marriage proposal, bringing to herself a terrible legacy of grief and suffering an untimely death. Was Anne a passive victim? Did she really jump into bed with the enemy?Myths aside, who was the real Anne? As the Kingmaker s daughter, she played a key role in his schemes for the throne. Brought up in the expectation of a glorious marriage, she was not the passive, manipulated pawn of romantic legend; in fact, she was a pragmatist and a survivor, whose courage and endurance were repeatedly pushed to the limit. In 1483 Anne found herself catapulted into the public eye and sitting on the throne beside Richard. The circumstances of their reign put unprecedented pressure on their marriage; amid rumors of affairs and divorce, Anne died mysteriously, during an eclipse of the sun, just weeks before Richard s death on the battlefield.This fascinating and elusive woman is shrouded in controversy and unanswered questions. Amy Licence reassesses the long-standing myths about Anne s role, her health and her marriages, to present a new view of the Kingmaker s daughter.REVIEWS Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is a historical book, which gives a well-rounded view of the events during the era of the later half of Henry VI reign, through to Edward IV, Richard III, and the family of NevilImpressionist Ink"
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2013
24 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Amy Licence
42 books323 followersMedieval and Tudor historian, with a particular interest in women's lives and experiences, also dabble in Modernism. I write fiction and non-fiction, also journalism for The Guardian, BBC History website, The New Statesman, The Huffington Post, The English Review and The London Magazine. I appeared in TV documentaries "The Real White Queen and her Rivals" and "The Private Lives of the Tudors." Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 17, 2015
0. 3 stars
I can't finish this and you can't make me! I'm in awe as to the many inaccuracies in the book, errors that should have been picked up by an editor who knew just a mere hint about the subject matter; well, the same goes for the author.
p. 26 "It was not until the following day that York, his father Salisbury and Warwick escorted the king back to London, where York assumed Somerset's title of Constable of England."
This should read: "York, Warwick and his father Salisbury." York referred to here is Richard of York; Warwick referred to here is Richard Neville -Warwick the Kingmaker; Salisbury referred to here is Warwick's father - 5th Earl of Salisbury.
p. 28 "The pregnancies of Anne's aunt -in -law, Cecily Neville, illustrate just how precarious young lives could be in the mid-fifteenth century. Her experiences as a mother began just three years after Anne's betrothal to the Duke of York, with the birth of her short lived first daughter, Joan. All through the countess's youth and married life, Cecily continued to deliver children, at the rate of approximately one a year until the occasion of Anne's second confinement, in 1456, a year after Cecily delivered her thirteenth and final child. That baby, a girl named Ursula, did not live long, leaving the four -year - old Richard of York as Cecily's youngest child."
This should read: "Cecily's betrothal to the Duke of York". Anne referred to here is Anne Neville, Warwick's spouse.
p.56 "Three more battles early in 1461 sealed the Lancastrian party's fate. On 2 February, Edward, Earl of March, won a decisive victory at Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire against Henry VI's father-in-law, Owen Tudor....Now, a widower at aged about sixty, Owen Tudor appeared at the head of a Lancastrian army in order to defend his son-in-law's right."
Owen Tudor was not Henry VI's father -in -law but his step-father, having been the second husband of Henry VI's mother, Catherine of Valois. Henry's father- in -law was Margaret of Anjou's father, René d'Anjou, king of Naples. Owen Tudor had many sons, but no son-in-law named Henry VI.
I haven't even gotten to the chapters where the substance of Anne Neville made 'queen' might be lurking. From the way this 'history' book is going, I'm afraid to proceed further for fear that, in the hands of Ms. Licence, she might turn out to be Richard of York's sister. I also have Licence's Elizabeth of York on the shelf; I wonder how that's going to pan out.
In conclusion, Anne Neville, Richard III's Tragic Queen suffers too many careless errors to be overlooked; that is indeed tragic.
I can't finish this and you can't make me! I'm in awe as to the many inaccuracies in the book, errors that should have been picked up by an editor who knew just a mere hint about the subject matter; well, the same goes for the author.
p. 26 "It was not until the following day that York, his father Salisbury and Warwick escorted the king back to London, where York assumed Somerset's title of Constable of England."
This should read: "York, Warwick and his father Salisbury." York referred to here is Richard of York; Warwick referred to here is Richard Neville -Warwick the Kingmaker; Salisbury referred to here is Warwick's father - 5th Earl of Salisbury.
p. 28 "The pregnancies of Anne's aunt -in -law, Cecily Neville, illustrate just how precarious young lives could be in the mid-fifteenth century. Her experiences as a mother began just three years after Anne's betrothal to the Duke of York, with the birth of her short lived first daughter, Joan. All through the countess's youth and married life, Cecily continued to deliver children, at the rate of approximately one a year until the occasion of Anne's second confinement, in 1456, a year after Cecily delivered her thirteenth and final child. That baby, a girl named Ursula, did not live long, leaving the four -year - old Richard of York as Cecily's youngest child."
This should read: "Cecily's betrothal to the Duke of York". Anne referred to here is Anne Neville, Warwick's spouse.
p.56 "Three more battles early in 1461 sealed the Lancastrian party's fate. On 2 February, Edward, Earl of March, won a decisive victory at Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire against Henry VI's father-in-law, Owen Tudor....Now, a widower at aged about sixty, Owen Tudor appeared at the head of a Lancastrian army in order to defend his son-in-law's right."
Owen Tudor was not Henry VI's father -in -law but his step-father, having been the second husband of Henry VI's mother, Catherine of Valois. Henry's father- in -law was Margaret of Anjou's father, René d'Anjou, king of Naples. Owen Tudor had many sons, but no son-in-law named Henry VI.
I haven't even gotten to the chapters where the substance of Anne Neville made 'queen' might be lurking. From the way this 'history' book is going, I'm afraid to proceed further for fear that, in the hands of Ms. Licence, she might turn out to be Richard of York's sister. I also have Licence's Elizabeth of York on the shelf; I wonder how that's going to pan out.
In conclusion, Anne Neville, Richard III's Tragic Queen suffers too many careless errors to be overlooked; that is indeed tragic.
June 26, 2022
Full of mistakes, void of any original research, based almost only on secondary sources, including totally unreliable ones or even fiction ones like Shakespeare. My recommendation: avoid Licence's books and find yourself a true historian.
August 22, 2013
I've long been fascinated by Anne Neville and really wanted to like this book, but the combination of unnecessary padding and poor research made it impossible. Very disappointing, Anne deserves better.
January 24, 2019
I don’t know how to feel. I’m somewhere between 2 and 2.5 stars.
I enjoyed Ms. Licence’s books on Elizabeth of York and Cecily Neville, and I was very excited to get my hands on her biography of my favorite medieval queen, Anne Neville.
Wow wow wow.
She couldn’t get peoples’ titles straight. She was saying people were executed when they weren’t (looking at you John and Richard Grey). People were uncles and in-laws when they weren’t. My favorite was when she said Jasper Tudor was Henry VI’s father-in-law. The term is “half brother,” as he the son of Henry’s mother Catherine, and was certainly not Margaret of Anjou’s father. Simple things we learn in elementary school.
The author makes a lot of assumptions and doesn’t back them up with facts. This happens a lot when Edward of Middleham dies, and she says this tore Anne and Richard’s marriage apart. There is no evidence for this. Going off of that, she spits out all this information about the alleged affair between Elizabeth of York and Richard, and never comes to a real conclusion on it. She didn’t even mention that Titulus Regis affected Elizabeth’s right to the throne! Speaking of illegitimacy, the author likes to think that Richard entertained the idea of his natural son, John, to be his heir. I’ve read quite a few books on Richard as well as the Wars of the Roses, and this is the first I’m hearing of this!
This book made me angry. I wish Anne would come back from the grave and give Ms. Licence a good shake.
For better writing from this author, please read her biographies of Cecily Neville and Elizabeth of York. They are much more insightful and better researched than whatever I just read!
I enjoyed Ms. Licence’s books on Elizabeth of York and Cecily Neville, and I was very excited to get my hands on her biography of my favorite medieval queen, Anne Neville.
Wow wow wow.
She couldn’t get peoples’ titles straight. She was saying people were executed when they weren’t (looking at you John and Richard Grey). People were uncles and in-laws when they weren’t. My favorite was when she said Jasper Tudor was Henry VI’s father-in-law. The term is “half brother,” as he the son of Henry’s mother Catherine, and was certainly not Margaret of Anjou’s father. Simple things we learn in elementary school.
The author makes a lot of assumptions and doesn’t back them up with facts. This happens a lot when Edward of Middleham dies, and she says this tore Anne and Richard’s marriage apart. There is no evidence for this. Going off of that, she spits out all this information about the alleged affair between Elizabeth of York and Richard, and never comes to a real conclusion on it. She didn’t even mention that Titulus Regis affected Elizabeth’s right to the throne! Speaking of illegitimacy, the author likes to think that Richard entertained the idea of his natural son, John, to be his heir. I’ve read quite a few books on Richard as well as the Wars of the Roses, and this is the first I’m hearing of this!
This book made me angry. I wish Anne would come back from the grave and give Ms. Licence a good shake.
For better writing from this author, please read her biographies of Cecily Neville and Elizabeth of York. They are much more insightful and better researched than whatever I just read!
June 1, 2013
I really had trouble rating this book. On one hand, there are some very strong parts like the brilliant introduction which is among the best I've ever read. On the other hand, there are mistakes, some of which unacceptable: for example the author states towards the end of the book that the daughters of Edward IV were unable -because they were women- to inherit the throne. That is 100% false as England did not forbid to women to become queens regnant. There was no salic law and the cases of Mary I and Elizabeth I less than 100 years later prove this.
Overall, the book is a good read. It brings these troubled times to life and can be informative for someone who is not familiar with the period. Furthermore, the author tries her best to reconstruct the life of Anne Neville from very limited sources. She does not succeed to give the reader a full portrait, but I doubt anyone could.
Overall, the book is a good read. It brings these troubled times to life and can be informative for someone who is not familiar with the period. Furthermore, the author tries her best to reconstruct the life of Anne Neville from very limited sources. She does not succeed to give the reader a full portrait, but I doubt anyone could.
May 26, 2019
Very disappointing. Way too many "perhaps Anne was here/was aware/knew". Didn't really learn that much .
January 31, 2014
I'll say what others have said, I guess. There are a number of errors... for some reason I was hoping only in the Kindle version, but I guess not - mostly small errors of research or errors that an editor should've caught, like, careless errors that as an informed reader you realize are careless errors but what a non-informed reader would find confusing and ultimately be misinformative.
The biggest gripe I had seen on amazon before ordering the book was that it wasn't enough actually about Anne - deal with it, people. Many of the most non-skewed (and there are startlingly few) historical pieces extant about the shadowy figures in history are not going to include a lot of specific things they said, emotions they had, yada yada. I would say this is absolutely the most comprehensive book you're going to find about Anne Neville, and it's also an interesting minor perspective on Warwick and Richard III (obviously they would be covered somewhat).
There is a lot of description of the particular castles, etc, where the family would have been at whatever time, a lot of pertinent info about daily life. Some of it is obviously speculative in nature but it's not like the author pretends otherwise. She goes ahead and calls it speculative. You could completely write off the book because you know there are careless errors, or you could read the darn thing and since you know enough to notice the errors, read past them and get a good overview of the next best thing to having information about the woman herself- excellent detail of specifics of where she was, what was happening, etc. But yeah. If you're going to write off the book entirely, be prepared to have to hop all over the place to find the same relevant information, and only relevant information- most of us don't have the time to do so.
The biggest gripe I had seen on amazon before ordering the book was that it wasn't enough actually about Anne - deal with it, people. Many of the most non-skewed (and there are startlingly few) historical pieces extant about the shadowy figures in history are not going to include a lot of specific things they said, emotions they had, yada yada. I would say this is absolutely the most comprehensive book you're going to find about Anne Neville, and it's also an interesting minor perspective on Warwick and Richard III (obviously they would be covered somewhat).
There is a lot of description of the particular castles, etc, where the family would have been at whatever time, a lot of pertinent info about daily life. Some of it is obviously speculative in nature but it's not like the author pretends otherwise. She goes ahead and calls it speculative. You could completely write off the book because you know there are careless errors, or you could read the darn thing and since you know enough to notice the errors, read past them and get a good overview of the next best thing to having information about the woman herself- excellent detail of specifics of where she was, what was happening, etc. But yeah. If you're going to write off the book entirely, be prepared to have to hop all over the place to find the same relevant information, and only relevant information- most of us don't have the time to do so.
October 10, 2020
Is disappointing to read so many mistakes and I truly believe that a queen specially if is a forgotten surrounded by strong male characters and crucial events in history deserve much better , I know we have very less information about her but is better dont make a book instead of making a book so poor of information and Anna Neville has no even a great presence in her book so ironic .
May 18, 2014
Unfortunately, this book fell far short of my expectations developed from the quite brilliant introduction. Once I got into the body of the book, I found it contradictory and repetitive. For example, in Chapter 3: Warring Cousins 1458 – 1460, Licence first mentions that of the 13 children Cecily Neville gave birth to, only six survived to adulthood, and later has it that seven survived. Seven is the correct number.
I also hit some speed bumps with some of Licence's references to people. For example, Anne Neville's parents were referred to as Richard and Anne right after a discussion about Richard, Duke of York and Cecily Neville, without a clarifying note that it was Warwick (Neville) and not Gloucester.
Licence refers Richard III as Richard of York: “...leaving the four-year-old Richard of York as Cecily’s youngest child.” I know his father was Richard of York, but was Richard III ever called that? In fact, from early in the 14th-century York was reserved for the second son, which in this instance, would have been Edmund.
Licence gave a convincing portrait of Anne's early life, from swaddling to toddler to child. To fill in some gaps about Anne Neville's history, Licence surmised that Anne would have observed and been instructed on the various duties expected of a woman of her status. While I appreciate the general information, I did not appreciate that it was repeated in several chapters with a lead in such as perhaps, may have, would no doubt, is the chance, etc. I feel it would have been more informative, if instead of spreading this information out across several chapters the author described the typical duties and education in its own chapter.
The bibliography is robust and runs the gamut from Hammond, Sutton, Ashdown-Hill, and Baldwin to More, Weir, and Shakespeare. Interestingly, a 19th-century edition of Croyland was referenced instead of the newer edition edited by Pronay and Cox. In addition, Licence frequently referred to both More and Shakespeare, including several quotes from Richard III and Henry VI.
I found the following lines from Chapter 14, Eclipse 1485—“What, exactly, was Anne’s contribution to her times? While Richard III has inspired his own cult following, Anne has received far less critical attention.”—rather curious. What do any followers of Richard—cult or otherwise—have to do with Anne's role and does the author think Ricardians are cultists?
Two formatting issues with this publication are that the table of contents does not list the chapters within the two major sections: “Anne and Warwick,” and “Anne and Gloucester,” and it lacks an index. I expect both in a non-fiction book.
In summary, while there are useful bits of information contained in Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen, I found it offered little insight about the subject. Nor did it, in my opinion, present focused account of what is known about either Anne Neville or her marriage to Richard III.
My rating: 2.5 stars--bumped to 3
I also hit some speed bumps with some of Licence's references to people. For example, Anne Neville's parents were referred to as Richard and Anne right after a discussion about Richard, Duke of York and Cecily Neville, without a clarifying note that it was Warwick (Neville) and not Gloucester.
Licence refers Richard III as Richard of York: “...leaving the four-year-old Richard of York as Cecily’s youngest child.” I know his father was Richard of York, but was Richard III ever called that? In fact, from early in the 14th-century York was reserved for the second son, which in this instance, would have been Edmund.
Licence gave a convincing portrait of Anne's early life, from swaddling to toddler to child. To fill in some gaps about Anne Neville's history, Licence surmised that Anne would have observed and been instructed on the various duties expected of a woman of her status. While I appreciate the general information, I did not appreciate that it was repeated in several chapters with a lead in such as perhaps, may have, would no doubt, is the chance, etc. I feel it would have been more informative, if instead of spreading this information out across several chapters the author described the typical duties and education in its own chapter.
The bibliography is robust and runs the gamut from Hammond, Sutton, Ashdown-Hill, and Baldwin to More, Weir, and Shakespeare. Interestingly, a 19th-century edition of Croyland was referenced instead of the newer edition edited by Pronay and Cox. In addition, Licence frequently referred to both More and Shakespeare, including several quotes from Richard III and Henry VI.
I found the following lines from Chapter 14, Eclipse 1485—“What, exactly, was Anne’s contribution to her times? While Richard III has inspired his own cult following, Anne has received far less critical attention.”—rather curious. What do any followers of Richard—cult or otherwise—have to do with Anne's role and does the author think Ricardians are cultists?
Two formatting issues with this publication are that the table of contents does not list the chapters within the two major sections: “Anne and Warwick,” and “Anne and Gloucester,” and it lacks an index. I expect both in a non-fiction book.
In summary, while there are useful bits of information contained in Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen, I found it offered little insight about the subject. Nor did it, in my opinion, present focused account of what is known about either Anne Neville or her marriage to Richard III.
My rating: 2.5 stars--bumped to 3
March 22, 2015
Link to my review of this book:
http://flhwnotesandreviews.com/2015/0...
http://flhwnotesandreviews.com/2015/0...
August 21, 2015
This book was written after the discovery of Richard III's remains, so it is very up-to-date on any research available. And the pictures in it are absolutely beautiful, giving a good look at the various places where Anne, with or without Richard, lived. Especially stunning is Warwick Castle, where Anne was born. As a lowly American peon, I've always wondered how a small family could manage to fill up a "house" of that size. This one is even bigger than most.
Not a lot is known about Anne as an individual, but License fleshes her out well without concentrating on the men who surrounded her - basically the most famous and well-known of the early to middle 15th century. Her father was Richard Neville, the man who put Edward IV on the throne and known as The Kingmaker, her first husband was the Prince of Wales, son of George VI, who had the valid claim to the English throne (since Edward usurped the throne from George), and her second husband was the "notorious" Richard III.
Nothing that isn't found in the sources is said about Anne, so Licence makes no guess as to whether Anne's marriage with Richard was for love. Nor does she speculate on what Anne must have felt about her marriage to the Prince of Wales. She does stress that Anne was not a "pawn" in her father's endgame, but you can't look at Anne's early life and not disagree. Although she may have been an uncomplaining pawn, Anne had no right to her own opinion when it came to her marriage. She was raised to please her parents and, although she could have refused, it would have taken quite a backbone as the Kingmaker's Daughter to have pulled it off.
Concerning her marriage to Richard, Licence points out that they were acquainted during their childhood since Richard was a ward of her father. She also cautions that that is no reason to think they might have been in love but that they just may have known each other better than most who were married for dynastic reasons. (She does not, however, rule out a love match.) She also pointed out, which I think has a great deal to do with the marriage, that Anne was on the losing side when she was married to the Prince of Wales. He and her father were both killed in battle and she was left with no strong male protector. Marriage to Richard gave her that protection and him her considerable inherited wealth.
All in all, it's a good book for those interested in this period of history or even Anne herself.
Not a lot is known about Anne as an individual, but License fleshes her out well without concentrating on the men who surrounded her - basically the most famous and well-known of the early to middle 15th century. Her father was Richard Neville, the man who put Edward IV on the throne and known as The Kingmaker, her first husband was the Prince of Wales, son of George VI, who had the valid claim to the English throne (since Edward usurped the throne from George), and her second husband was the "notorious" Richard III.
Nothing that isn't found in the sources is said about Anne, so Licence makes no guess as to whether Anne's marriage with Richard was for love. Nor does she speculate on what Anne must have felt about her marriage to the Prince of Wales. She does stress that Anne was not a "pawn" in her father's endgame, but you can't look at Anne's early life and not disagree. Although she may have been an uncomplaining pawn, Anne had no right to her own opinion when it came to her marriage. She was raised to please her parents and, although she could have refused, it would have taken quite a backbone as the Kingmaker's Daughter to have pulled it off.
Concerning her marriage to Richard, Licence points out that they were acquainted during their childhood since Richard was a ward of her father. She also cautions that that is no reason to think they might have been in love but that they just may have known each other better than most who were married for dynastic reasons. (She does not, however, rule out a love match.) She also pointed out, which I think has a great deal to do with the marriage, that Anne was on the losing side when she was married to the Prince of Wales. He and her father were both killed in battle and she was left with no strong male protector. Marriage to Richard gave her that protection and him her considerable inherited wealth.
All in all, it's a good book for those interested in this period of history or even Anne herself.
August 20, 2017
I really enjoyed Amy Licence's book "Cecily Neville" so I was looking forward to reading about another often forgotten woman of the 15th century.
Unfortunately, this book was a let down.
As other reviewers mention, the introduction to this book is strong, exciting, and draws you in straight away. From chapter one, it's not so good. I got about a third of the way into it and it was just a re-telling of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the more prominent people of the time (her father, husbands, Henry VI, and even her great aunt Cecily, get more page room than poor Anne!). Ms Neville is a bit player in her own biography.
I appreciate that, as a woman from this time, it would be difficult to find sources relating to her and much would be speculation, but I felt there was nothing new. Even though the blurb promises to answer the question "who was the real Anne Neville?", it's not something we'll ever know.
I recently read Blood Sisters and the story of Anne Neville is well rounded and complete in that book. I hoped for a more detailed look at her life from a biography dedicated exclusively to her.
Perhaps if I'd read this before Blood Sisters I would have enjoyed it. But there's no point reading the same story again in a different book!
Unfortunately, this book was a let down.
As other reviewers mention, the introduction to this book is strong, exciting, and draws you in straight away. From chapter one, it's not so good. I got about a third of the way into it and it was just a re-telling of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the more prominent people of the time (her father, husbands, Henry VI, and even her great aunt Cecily, get more page room than poor Anne!). Ms Neville is a bit player in her own biography.
I appreciate that, as a woman from this time, it would be difficult to find sources relating to her and much would be speculation, but I felt there was nothing new. Even though the blurb promises to answer the question "who was the real Anne Neville?", it's not something we'll ever know.
I recently read Blood Sisters and the story of Anne Neville is well rounded and complete in that book. I hoped for a more detailed look at her life from a biography dedicated exclusively to her.
Perhaps if I'd read this before Blood Sisters I would have enjoyed it. But there's no point reading the same story again in a different book!
May 24, 2021
I knew hardly anything about Anne Neville before I began this biography, but I had one objective in mind when starting this and that was to simply learn more about her through this, and I absolutely achieved it. This is a beautifully written biography of a lesser known medieval Queen consort of England. Coming from and living in Warwick myself this was especially close to my heart, to learn about the Queen who was (likely) christened in our local church.
This biography is written in such a way that this really makes you feel as if you are experiencing Anne's life with her, that you are you are there with her when she gives birth, when she marries Richard, when she is crowned. I especially enjoyed the authors perspective on Anne and Richard's story being that of a great love that grew slowly from childhood.
I didn't want another rehashing of a normally one dimensional view of Anne as a wilting flower in her parents' play for power and I wasn't disappointed. This was honestly one of the best biographies of a medieval Queen consort I have read in a very long time and it presented a much more well rounded and more life like version of a young girl who was centre at the life of the last plantagenets.
Absolutely will be reading again just for the fun of experiencing the ups and down of Anne's life through the extraordinary writing of Any here. 5/5 ♡
This biography is written in such a way that this really makes you feel as if you are experiencing Anne's life with her, that you are you are there with her when she gives birth, when she marries Richard, when she is crowned. I especially enjoyed the authors perspective on Anne and Richard's story being that of a great love that grew slowly from childhood.
I didn't want another rehashing of a normally one dimensional view of Anne as a wilting flower in her parents' play for power and I wasn't disappointed. This was honestly one of the best biographies of a medieval Queen consort I have read in a very long time and it presented a much more well rounded and more life like version of a young girl who was centre at the life of the last plantagenets.
Absolutely will be reading again just for the fun of experiencing the ups and down of Anne's life through the extraordinary writing of Any here. 5/5 ♡
September 12, 2019
This was certainly a good grounding in Anne's life: however I was disappointed by how little of her there was in the book. It is more correctly the story of the wars of the roses from around her birth to her death. It is a little repetitive, and I was surprised that their are only two poor likenesses of Anne included in the plates...the stained glass at Cardiff Castle, while not contemporary is nonetheless beautiful and striking.
Those criticisms aside, I come away feeling like I have as good a handle on her personality as possible given the evidence available, and when I visit her memorial at Westminster, I will know whom I commemorate.
Those criticisms aside, I come away feeling like I have as good a handle on her personality as possible given the evidence available, and when I visit her memorial at Westminster, I will know whom I commemorate.
January 14, 2025
This is a hard one to rate. At times it moved very slow as there isn’t much primary source material to work with.
And there are so many blank spaces. Was there a dramatic escape from her sister and BIL to elope with Richard?
What happened to the Princes in the tower? How did Richard decide to take the throne?
How did their son die? How did Anne die? On that front the author made a pretty plausible case for TB.
I really wished they could have just stayed in York, they may have lived longer and happier lives.
A very interesting look at a lesser known figure from the War of the Roses
And there are so many blank spaces. Was there a dramatic escape from her sister and BIL to elope with Richard?
What happened to the Princes in the tower? How did Richard decide to take the throne?
How did their son die? How did Anne die? On that front the author made a pretty plausible case for TB.
I really wished they could have just stayed in York, they may have lived longer and happier lives.
A very interesting look at a lesser known figure from the War of the Roses
March 20, 2023
Was this book about Anne Neville or Richard III? The book was an easy read and Amy License is a talented writer, but at times it felt this story was more about Richard III than Anne Neville. And then of course, when it came to said Anne, there was a lot of speculation. The book didn't need to be that long, though I do appreciate that Anne was not shown as the naive pawn but a rather willing woman with dynastic ambitions that would have been the norm for the time period.
November 25, 2020
Any biography about Anne Neville is going to be hard because there is just so much that we don't know about her. Amy Licence does a good job putting Anne's story in the context of her time and explaining all of the fascinating history that unfolded around her. Anne herself, unfortunately, remains a mystery.
August 9, 2024
Ehhh. I just don’t think there’s enough known about Anne Neville to justify this type of book. It was a valiant attempt but mostly info on what her life might’ve looked like or what she might’ve done. There’s some interesting insight on her relationship with Richard. I think I’m better off with historical fiction about them.
August 22, 2024
Unfortunately, there’s not much extant information about Anne Neville, and this book reflects that. It felt more of a retelling of the wars of the roses and hypothesizing Anne may or may not be there. The writing was good, just not a lot of evidence unfortunately, so the title is misleading.
February 12, 2018
I think I need to stay away from late medieval/Tudor history for a little while. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but perhaps I wasn't as enthusiastic as I normally am.
February 26, 2014
It is hard to piece Anne's life when there is so little about her and there are many myths surrounding her and her family that the truth often gets lost on the way. But Amy Licence reconstructed this often mis-portrayed and misinterpreted historical figure from the ashes of contemporary and archeological data. There a number of secondary sources that portray her as a victim, or a tragic figure, the object of Richard's cruelty, yet, Richard III himself has been the object of mis-representation (he is either pure evil or purely angelic). Amy's understanding of the period and deconstructing ridiculous myths (that sadly are still used by many novelists and some 'historians' alike) flesh out the characters as they most likely were. Also, she deconstructs a period that has been romanticized time and time again; bringing the reality: A brutal, dog-eat-dog period, by no means people were amoral, but their morals and how they expressed love, affection and care were very different from how we expressed these emotions now. The mystery of the Princes and whether if Anne knew and if Richard was responsible, how could she have gone with him? Simple: in a period where cousin turned against cousin and family loyalties were switched for survival, it was not hard to see people going to extreme measures to protect their dynastic claims, not just for themselves but for their own immediate family. Anne was also no foil to the men around her nor she should be looked to as such, she as the historian points out, was a woman who most likely took matters into her own hands after her father died, her mother left her and she became a widow. She knew her value, she'd learned from her father and her amazing mother in law, how the world worked, she had experienced changes in fortune and if she wanted a respectable position and standing she could only attain it through marriage and she did just that -marrying Richard (then Duke of Gloucester) and becoming Duchess. As a wife Anne succeeded in the two most important areas: She could rule her husbands' large properties, some of them hers which were brought to him after their marriage and others after his brother George's demise in 1478; since he was mostly away, Anne took care of securibg loyalties and building a strong connections with tenants and other people by being able to adminjster justice. The second and perhaps more vital: a son.
Richard grew up in Middleham castle where Anne bore their only child, since he was 13 when he was sent there to be reared as a soldier and future noble. They knew each other so their marriage wasn't cold or hostile but very welcoming, yet, as a King the death of their only son broke this peace. This doesn't mean Richard never loved her but a King needed a son and the period's morals were completely alien to ours, without a son it left the kingdom open for invasion. Not surprisingly Anne herself succumbed to illness nearly a year after their son died. She passed away in Westminster in March 1485. What was her illness, there is much speculation but based on many theories presented I believe it was a combination of illness, a sense of failure, and rumors going around surrounding her husband and their niece Elizabeth of York (of which is all based on copies of an original letter that Elizabeth asks John Howard, Duke of Norfolk to intercede with the King for her, yet the original copy of the letter has many missing partd and two very altered versions were made by two George Bucks, both related to fit their theories of an amorius affair between ubcle and niece. Elizabeth just asks John Howard to intercede for her to the King, everything else are words put there by these Bucks so there is no reliable evidence there was an affair, at the time Richard was considering as his wife's state became worse to marry a foreign Princess and arrange a match for his niece as well to a lesser royal).
Regardless, after Anne died and Richard putting these rumors of his supposed affair to rest, what does show his true intentions is he was making plans to marry (not his niece) a foreign Princess, this never came to pass and he met his end in August 22 that year. A year later Henry Tudor now Henry VII led a Northern progress where Anne and Richard were once received so joyfully. They were probably never forgotten but as with past events, people had to change allegiances once more, and go with the flow.
Richard's rediscovery (2012-2013) brought new attention to his reign, including his his wife Anne. Yet not much is being written about her as has and is still being written about Richard. Probably with more biographies such as this one being published, there will be a larger focus.
Highly recommend it. Amy Licence makes no assumptions, or says this happebed for sure as many pop historians nowadays do, she presents you the evidence as a good scholar does and lets you decide what is the likeliest truth. When she doess make assumptions it is based on contemporary evidence, archeological data and understanding of this period.
Richard grew up in Middleham castle where Anne bore their only child, since he was 13 when he was sent there to be reared as a soldier and future noble. They knew each other so their marriage wasn't cold or hostile but very welcoming, yet, as a King the death of their only son broke this peace. This doesn't mean Richard never loved her but a King needed a son and the period's morals were completely alien to ours, without a son it left the kingdom open for invasion. Not surprisingly Anne herself succumbed to illness nearly a year after their son died. She passed away in Westminster in March 1485. What was her illness, there is much speculation but based on many theories presented I believe it was a combination of illness, a sense of failure, and rumors going around surrounding her husband and their niece Elizabeth of York (of which is all based on copies of an original letter that Elizabeth asks John Howard, Duke of Norfolk to intercede with the King for her, yet the original copy of the letter has many missing partd and two very altered versions were made by two George Bucks, both related to fit their theories of an amorius affair between ubcle and niece. Elizabeth just asks John Howard to intercede for her to the King, everything else are words put there by these Bucks so there is no reliable evidence there was an affair, at the time Richard was considering as his wife's state became worse to marry a foreign Princess and arrange a match for his niece as well to a lesser royal).
Regardless, after Anne died and Richard putting these rumors of his supposed affair to rest, what does show his true intentions is he was making plans to marry (not his niece) a foreign Princess, this never came to pass and he met his end in August 22 that year. A year later Henry Tudor now Henry VII led a Northern progress where Anne and Richard were once received so joyfully. They were probably never forgotten but as with past events, people had to change allegiances once more, and go with the flow.
Richard's rediscovery (2012-2013) brought new attention to his reign, including his his wife Anne. Yet not much is being written about her as has and is still being written about Richard. Probably with more biographies such as this one being published, there will be a larger focus.
Highly recommend it. Amy Licence makes no assumptions, or says this happebed for sure as many pop historians nowadays do, she presents you the evidence as a good scholar does and lets you decide what is the likeliest truth. When she doess make assumptions it is based on contemporary evidence, archeological data and understanding of this period.
April 10, 2014
Source: Free copy from Amberley in exchange for a review
Summary:
Anne Neville, born 1456, the youngest daughter of Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker, and Anne de Beauchamp. The eldest daughter Isabel, born 1451.
As a young girl, Anne, married Henry VI's, and Margaret of Anjou's, son and heir, Edward of Westminster. Their marriage was brief. After the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, Anne was left a vulnerable widow. Her marriage to Richard III, has been debated. Why did she marry Richard? Was she aware of his political decisions? Did she know of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the princes in the Tower?
Amy Licence's aim is to pull away the layers of "hear-say" and "legend" and piece together the real Anne Neville. The mission is difficult, because so few facts are known of Anne. The people surrounding her, historical events, culture and society, and the dynamics of her family, are all explored.
My Thoughts:
The Earl of Warwick, was a powerful man. His strong character jumps off the pages of any book involving his history. His wife and daughters seem to trail behind him in wake of his shadow. I've often wondered if his daughters had even a bit of his character in them, if so, then they were people of strong character. Because, so little information is known of Anne, or her sister Isabel, in regards to their personality and voice, much of the book, Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is pieced together using the family histories and events surrounding both the Neville, Lancaster, and York families. I'm not sure many of us realize, our lives are often the result of other people's decisions and life events, resulting in our need to act or react. It was the same for people of history, and even more so for women, who lived in an age where their voice counted little. Females were for political and family alliances, they were for breeding children (sons), and for the pleasure of men.
Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is a historical book, which gives a well-rounded view of the events during the era of the later half of Henry VI reign, through to Edward IV, Richard III, and the family of Neville. The book ends with a reflection on Anne, Richard III's death and later discovery of his bones, and Henry Tudor's entrance.
Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is a perfect beginning point for people wanting to read about this historical period, because the book touches on all areas.
I love Amy Licence's approach in sharing both myths and facts.
William Shakespeare's tragedy-play Richard III is referenced often in the book. I've not read this play.....yet.
I enjoyed reading about how children were cared for from infancy on-wards, in regards to the "household staff" of young Edward, the son of Anne and Richard.
Summary:
Anne Neville, born 1456, the youngest daughter of Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker, and Anne de Beauchamp. The eldest daughter Isabel, born 1451.
As a young girl, Anne, married Henry VI's, and Margaret of Anjou's, son and heir, Edward of Westminster. Their marriage was brief. After the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, Anne was left a vulnerable widow. Her marriage to Richard III, has been debated. Why did she marry Richard? Was she aware of his political decisions? Did she know of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the princes in the Tower?
Amy Licence's aim is to pull away the layers of "hear-say" and "legend" and piece together the real Anne Neville. The mission is difficult, because so few facts are known of Anne. The people surrounding her, historical events, culture and society, and the dynamics of her family, are all explored.
My Thoughts:
The Earl of Warwick, was a powerful man. His strong character jumps off the pages of any book involving his history. His wife and daughters seem to trail behind him in wake of his shadow. I've often wondered if his daughters had even a bit of his character in them, if so, then they were people of strong character. Because, so little information is known of Anne, or her sister Isabel, in regards to their personality and voice, much of the book, Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is pieced together using the family histories and events surrounding both the Neville, Lancaster, and York families. I'm not sure many of us realize, our lives are often the result of other people's decisions and life events, resulting in our need to act or react. It was the same for people of history, and even more so for women, who lived in an age where their voice counted little. Females were for political and family alliances, they were for breeding children (sons), and for the pleasure of men.
Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is a historical book, which gives a well-rounded view of the events during the era of the later half of Henry VI reign, through to Edward IV, Richard III, and the family of Neville. The book ends with a reflection on Anne, Richard III's death and later discovery of his bones, and Henry Tudor's entrance.
Anne Neville Richard III's Tragic Queen, is a perfect beginning point for people wanting to read about this historical period, because the book touches on all areas.
I love Amy Licence's approach in sharing both myths and facts.
William Shakespeare's tragedy-play Richard III is referenced often in the book. I've not read this play.....yet.
I enjoyed reading about how children were cared for from infancy on-wards, in regards to the "household staff" of young Edward, the son of Anne and Richard.
October 9, 2013
I picked up. "Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen" by Amy License, because I am watching "The White Queen" on STARZ. The biography of Anne Neville and her times put the TV program in perspective, giving a more accurate picture of Anne. Little is known about Anne besides the broad outline of her life as daughter, wife, mother, and Queen. She did not live long, which is not unusual for medieval times. Ms, License is honest in her narrative; many times questioning what Anne may have done, where she was, and what she may have thought. The author uses information regarding women's roles, time lines, and other historical information to add depth to Anne's story. The author uses Shakespear's "Richard III" as a point of departure, along with other sources which were written years after the events and by authors with an agenda. Given limited historical source material, Ms. License successfully gives the reader a portrait of Anne, whose life, even though royal, could not have been easy or often happy. Most of the book is enjoyable, however, when she listed the many families and their links to each other, I was over whelmed and skimmed the paragraphs.
February 9, 2014
I started this book with the hope that she might have been able to rekindle the investigation into the life of Anne Neville. I was sorely disappointed with this book, because it seemed to focus more on Richard III (of whom I am a fan, but was looking forward to reading about his wife for a change), and she has condemned him in her book. She implies his guilt more than once throughout the book, and while she does not come out and say it, she more than indicates that she believes he is guilty of numerous things. The information she gives on Anne Neville is nothing new, in fact it reads quite a bit like Sharon Kay Penman and Philippa Gregory's works. I read through the entire book, hoping that it would get better, and provide some fresh insight into her life. Chapter by Chapter I was disappointed. It took me longer to read this book than it did the last three books I read through. Instead of titling this work Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen, it should be called "The Trials of Richard III: Rhe Plantagenet's history from Richard of York to the death of his son Richard III."
October 7, 2014
It was well written. Unfortunately there are just too many mistakes, laughable ones that even someone who isn't a historian can spot. Examples include Owen Tudor being Henry VI's father-in-law, Jasper Tudor being his half-uncle, Elizabeth Woodville's son Thomas Grey being executed by Richard III! The mistakes are laughable because anyone can access the correct information to know that is was Elizabeth Woodville's 2nd son Richard who was executed, and that Jasper Tudor was Henry VI's half-brother. At one point she discusses Ricardian historian Horace Walpole and says he was also a Prime Minister - he wasn't, he was the son of a Prime Minister! So I am disappointed in this book, not even sure how it got published with such simple mistakes in it.
March 26, 2014
Amy Licence has written a wonderful history of life in the fifteenth century. While there is very little information about Anne Neville, License uses historical facts about the times to fill in a spare outline of who Anne Neville might have been. Colorful descriptions coupled with interesting information creates a rich backdrop of life for a wealthy heiress and a descendant of royalty. Licence backs her speculation with as much actual facts as she can. Her perceptive observations make for entertaining reading where history jumps off the page coming as alive as an HBO special. Licence is a great author who's understanding of how to relate history for those who want to read about famous people and not be bored to death.
January 26, 2014
Too many factual errors that spoilt what should have been a reasonable bio. There is so little documented evidence about Anne so the author, from necessity, has to surmise to a large point. The reader has no clearer portrait of Anne as a person at the end but only as that reflected in the lives of the powerful men in her life. Basically the lot of most medieval women. Can't forgive the errors from someone who should know her stuff backwards. Probably due to poor editing of a work that seems hastily put together at times.
October 14, 2019
A not bad read but I feel like the author didn't have enough information on Anne Neville herself to write it so she fluffed the pages with information about medieval routine and other players in the conflict. I didn't get a sense of Anne at all through the reading and was disappointed that I didn't learn anything new about her or feel that it was entirely worth my time.
January 3, 2026
First I would love to talk about my love for Anne Neville.
I found out about her when my mom bought me Philippa Gregory's The Kingmaker's Daughter. Ever since then, I adored her and looked up to her.
Wanting to find out more of Anne, I found Amy Licence and her book on Anne and her mother-in-law and great aunt, Cecily.
I first read this book, but there's many silly errors, that are very easy to miss. But I was able to understand what Licence was trying to say, so I wasn't so worried.
I enjoyed the book. I wish there were less errors but it's not enough for me to lower my rating.
I found out about her when my mom bought me Philippa Gregory's The Kingmaker's Daughter. Ever since then, I adored her and looked up to her.
Wanting to find out more of Anne, I found Amy Licence and her book on Anne and her mother-in-law and great aunt, Cecily.
I first read this book, but there's many silly errors, that are very easy to miss. But I was able to understand what Licence was trying to say, so I wasn't so worried.
I enjoyed the book. I wish there were less errors but it's not enough for me to lower my rating.
September 21, 2014
Very disappointed with this book but maybe expectations were too high. I learnt nothing new about Anne Neville and a good part of the book seemed to be more about grocery bills then any insight into her life.
Far too much "Anne probably, perhaps, possibly..." and frankly whether she looked out of a certain window wasnt really what I was hoping for in this book.
The book was well written but lacked substance and I wouldnt recommend it.
Far too much "Anne probably, perhaps, possibly..." and frankly whether she looked out of a certain window wasnt really what I was hoping for in this book.
The book was well written but lacked substance and I wouldnt recommend it.
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