Mary Tudor: Queen of France

by Amy McElroy

Mary Tudor, Henry VIII's sister, lived a remarkable life. A princess, duchess and queen, she was known as the English Rose for her beauty. Mary Tudor, Queen of France, aims to explore the life of one of the few who stood up to Henry VIII and lived to tell the tale. Henry VIII is well known, but his larger-than-life character often overshadows that of his sisters. Mary Tudor was born a princess, married a king and then a duke, and lived an extraordinary life. This book focuses on Mary’s life, her childhood, her relationship with Henry, her marriages and her relationship with her husbands. Mary grew up in close proximity to Henry, becoming his favourite sister, and later, after her marriage to the French king, she married his best friend, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. The events impacting the siblings will be reviewed to examine how they may have changed and shaped their relationship.

Genres: History, Biography, France, Nonfiction

204 pages, Hardcover

First published January 30, 2025

Reviews

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very complete and thorough look into a lesser written about Tudor. The author does a great job of outlining Mary's life with so much fascinating detail. Some rare photos too at the end of the book. A must read for any Tudor fan! Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Debbie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ I enjoyed reading this in depth look at the sister of King Henry VIII.

Most of what is known of Mary Tudor involves her romance and marriage to Charles Brandon, Henry’s best friend. This well researched biography gives a glimpse into Tudor life drawing on historical writings.
All the workings of the court, dowries ,clothes, jewels, marriages, births, deaths are all discussed.
Fascinating!

Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Sword History Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Amy Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When one thinks of Tudor history, the towering figures of Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I usually come to mind. But what of the minor Tudors, such as Henry's siblings Arthur, Margaret, and Mary? In her latest book Mary Tudor: Queen of France, author Amy McElroy pens a meticulous and vibrant history of the youngest Tudor sibling, the lively and lovely Mary, Queen of France and later Duchess of Suffolk.

The Tudor dynasty seemingly attracts those drawn to its romance: the relationship between Anne Boleyn and Henry, the love between Mary and Charles Brandon, the did-they-didn’t-they dynamic of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. Although important, of course, other facets of those lives enhance each of these stories, and it's this focus on Mary's beauty and relationship with Charles Brandon that Amy explains but also expands upon in her illuminative work. 

There's more to Mary than simply her second marriage: her familial dynamic, her first serious betrothal, her life in France, her struggles to find happiness and prosperity amidst uncertain economic circumstances, her passion for clothing, dancing, and pageantry, her proficiency in wordsmithing, and so much more. Amy broadens our understanding of Mary's life from her youth to her passing in 1536.

On March 18, 1496, Mary Tudor was born at Sheen Palace to Henry VIII and his wife Queen Elizabeth of York. Her parents had married in the aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth, uniting the divergent York and Lancastrians lines of descent from King Edward III. Mary was the youngest of their surviving children. Sadly, Elizabeth of York succumbed to complications from the birth of her last daughter, Katherine, passing away on February 11, 1503.

Amy details Mary's life from official records, inventories, letters, and more, painting a compelling portrait of this astonishing woman. At the book's beginning, she devotes significant time to Mary's childhood, paying particularly close attention to the princess’s education and her first betrothal to Charles, Prince of Castile, the son of Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile. After this fell apart, especially after Henry VII’s death in 1509, Mary married the French king Louis XII. She ruled as Queen of France for a few months before Louis died on January 1, 1515. It's after this point where many recognize Mary's story as the wife of Charles Brandon.

Before Mary left for France to marry Louis, she extracted a promise from her brother Henry that she could marry for love should Louis predecease her. As a result, she married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and Henry's best friend, shortly before her return to England. Evidence supports this marriage as a love match, and signs indicate that Henry was aware of their mutual attraction. The couple roused the king's ire, however, when they married sooner than expected, in March 1515, and without his firm approval. He fined them, but eventually allowed them to return to England. Mary and Charles lived happily together until Mary's death on June 25, 1533.

Mary Tudor: Queen of France is that rare non-fiction piece that combines deep research and engaging narrative to create a highly absorbing and informationally-rich book. Amy encourages readers to examine Mary's life more thoroughly, that she deserves to be remembered for more than just her appearance and her family. “Mary's beauty and ancestry should not be her only legacy; she was clearly a highly competent letter writer, using her skill to get her way and protect herself and those she cared about.”

I appreciated Amy’s focus on three particular aspects of Mary's life that often receive little attention: her first betrothal, her writing ability, and her care and support for those who served her. 

Mary's betrothal to Prince Charles - who would go on to become Charles V - reflected her father's affection for her (in addition to her value in a marriage alliance) and her chance for a respectable and perhaps content marriage. The negotiations between Henry and Charles’s protectors - Maximilian, the Holy Roman Emperor; Margaret of Austria; and King Ferdinand of Castile - proved long and complex and ultimately fell through. However, in behavior which counteracts his normal frugal reputation, ensured a bountiful dowry for his daughter so that she would be provided for and have a comfortable life.

Mary's ability to influence by her adept writing and her support for those in her employ often go hand-in-hand. Amy recounts several instances in which Mary wrote to influential characters such as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in an effort to find them gainful employment, reward them, or attempt to return them to her service. This paints the Queen as a generous, intelligent, and politically astute woman with a keen mind and kind heart.

Amy’s biography of Mary Tudor offers readers a refreshing, balanced, and nuanced look into her life. Mary was a multifaceted and complex woman who deserves the telling of her story in a compassionate and authentic manner, and Amy McElroy has done just that. This book was a joy to read, and those interested in Tudor history, women's history, or English history will find much to engage with in Mary Tudor, Queen of France.

Thank you to Amy, Pen & Sword Books, and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

[M.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy is a fascinating biographical account of the life of Mary, Henry VIII's sister, and not to be confused with his daughter.

The story is quite remarkable, and while I knew something about her, I didn't know everything. The chapters, which follow her through the 3 marriage proposals she receives, which result in 2 marriages, are quite astounding. So much time and effort went into trying to wed her to Prince Charles (later Emperor Charles), and then all of a sudden, she married Louis XII of France. I found it most fascinating. If anything, her 2nd marriage seems almost anticlimatic, even though it evidently wasn't at the time. And, with all we know about Henry and his marital difficulties, Mary appears to have been somewhat serene about everything. I imagine she perhaps had a happier life, if one often troubled by the terrible debt her brother placed upon her (families!).

I really appreciated the author's desire to keep this narrative to Mary and not to her children and grandchildren. It seems fitting to have a title devoted exclusively to her.

A fine portrayal of Mary's eventful, if short life, with a lovely writing style.

[Masala LaVita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy McElroy's "Mary Tudor" offers an accessible introduction to one of England's notable monarchs. As someone with only passing knowledge of Mary Tudor from European travels, I found this biography enlightening and well-structured. The book effectively balances historical detail with engaging narrative, providing valuable insights into both royal life and the broader context of 16th-century England.

While I can't compare it to other works on Mary Tudor, this biography succeeds in making the era and its key figure accessible to general readers. The author skillfully weaves political history creating an informative read for those interested in English history.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword publications for ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Georgi_Lvs_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Mary habitually used her influence to patronise people and used her influence to obtain positions and favours for those she cared for.’

This is Amy’s third book but what is different about this one is that it solely focuses on just one person… Mary Queen of France.

Mary is not one I know or have read a lot about and I found this to be really interesting.

The fact she could answer some really important questions in the future is exciting!!!!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this brilliant new biography of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and sister to the infamous Henry VIII, Amy McElroy draws on some brilliant primary documents to bring her remarkable life to the page. Full of fascinating details and insightful primary sources, this book really brings her fascinating life as an English princess and French queen to readers’ attention. By exploring her royal role as a political player and the grandmother of Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen, McElroy does a fantastic job highlighting Mary Tudor’s multiple positions of influence and power during her life at her brother’s court. Excellently written, readable, and easy to understand, this is a great new release that Tudor lovers will definitely want to pick up for the depth of historical information present in the book. McElroy is a great writer who really humanizes her subjects and brings well-needed context into her discussion of her subjects’ lives, which allows readers to try to understand the decisions made during their lifetimes and connect with the historical figures. With her approachable prose and absolutely immersive biography of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, history readers of all kinds and especially Tudorphiles will love this new biography.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advance copy.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Mary Tudor, younger sister to Henry VIII, either gets skipped over or hardly mentioned in both fact and fiction retellings of the Tudor era, which is a shame, because she had a fascinating life with a romance that ended much, much better than almost any other love story in the Tudor era.

McElory follows Mary's life, mostly through invoices and other housekeeping accounts, but also through high stakes international treaties, letters between kings, and popular ballads. We rarely get Mary's voice, but on the few occasions we do, her voice rings out clear, educated, and determined - this is a woman who knows what she is worth, what she wants, and she is going to get both what she is entitled to and what she wants.

So its no accident that she ends up with the man she wants AND with titles, properties, and jewels worth a king's ransom - even if quite a lot of those jewels are wisely given over to her brother to get his stamp of approval on her second marriage.

Mary might have played the damsel in distress when advantageous, but she was just as determined as any Tudor to get what she wanted, no matter what the consequences.

McElory points out that, sadly, Mary doesn't live long enough to meet her granddaughter Jane Grey, but that Jane definite inherited a lot of her brains from her grandmother, a woman who understood the power of words and how to use them.

[Tony Riches · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy McElroy's new book, Mary Tudor: Queen of France provides a compelling and spotlight on a woman inevitably overshadowed by her infamous elder brother, King Henry VIII (and often mistaken for Henry's eldest daughter, Queen Mary Tudor).

This biography delves into the multifaceted life of Princess Mary Tudor, painting a vivid portrait of a princess who navigates the turbulent waters of Tudor politics and personal desires.

I read this book during Women’s History Month, and particularly like the way Amy McElroy captures the complexities of Mary's life, highlighting her resilience and determination in a world dominated by powerful men.

Amy meticulously reconstructs Mary's journey, from her politically motivated marriage to the aging King Louis XII of France to her life as the widowed Queen of France. Her writing style is accessible and engaging, making the book suitable for both history enthusiasts and casual readers.

Mary Tudor: Queen of France is a well-researched account of a remarkable woman who deserves greater recognition. Amy McElroy has successfully brought Mary Tudor's story to life, providing a fresh perspective on a fascinating period in English history.

Tony Riches

[Rosemary Griggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Amy McElroy’s biography of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, a thoroughly researched and well written book, Mary, Henry VIII’s younger sister, emerges from the shadows of the famous men around her as a determined woman in her own right. The broad outline of her first marriage to the ageing King of France – a marriage arranged for political gain by her brother – and her daring insistence that she should choose her second husband, was familiar to me. But Amy delves into housekeeping accounts and letters to bring other facets of Mary’s story to life in vivid detail. I was impressed to learn how often she used her influence to help others, even tackling powerful people like Wolsey to make sure they delivered on promises.With my interest in Tudor clothing, I also loved the many costume references, which include entries from Princess Mary’s 1514 Inventory of Robes. Highly recommended.

[Amber Archambault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Tudor is one of my favorite people from the Tudor Era. She is not talked about as much as her brother and all his wives. I enjoyed Mary Tudor: Queen of France by Amy McElroy. The book was well written and very informative.

[Christina Asher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated with the tudors since high school. I really enjoyed reading about Mary. She might have seemed like a small character in history, but her story, I believe, is fascinating. I would definitely recommend this for history lovers.

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy McElroy's Mary Tudor covers the life of Mary Tudor, the youngest sister of King Henry VIII who went on to become Queen of France for a very brief time and famously defied her brother to marry the love of her life.

This is my second book by McElroy on Tudor history, and I enjoy her style of writing very much. She does justice to her subjects in a way that a lot of authors would just brush over. Her work is very informative on the life of the young queen, even considering the lack of a lot of physical evidence after she marries Charles Brandon and lives a more private life. Often consider the favorite sister of the infamous Tudor King, Mary lived a life full of pleasure and riches, often getting her own way in matters. Her marriage to Louis of France for political reasons caused her to make the often-repeated bargain with her brother; when the aging King died, she would marry a man of her choice. So, she did, marrying her brother's best friend Charles Brandon. And when many were shunned for speaking against Anne Boleyn, Mary was one of the few that could voice her opinion though little good it did her or Katherine of Aragon.

Sadly Mary died young. Had she lived, how could she have changed the history her brother made?

I would like to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 stars.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The life of a 16th-century princess is not all that it is cracked up to be. You can have jewels, and glamorous dresses, attend the glittering yet treacherous court, and have numerous homes. You must marry the person the king says you should marry to create strong alliances for the kingdom, so the concept of marrying for love is not in your vocabulary. You had to ensure your opinions were kept in line with the monarch’s views so you didn’t meet a disastrous end. In other words, the closer you are to the throne, the more scrutiny is forced upon you. No one understood this advice better than Mary Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VII and the younger sister of Henry VIII. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a queen, a duchess, and a mother. Her remarkable story is told in Amy McElroy’s book, “Mary Tudor: Queen of France.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have read Amy McElroy’s previous books, “Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era” and “Educating the Tudors,” and I enjoyed both books. When I heard that she would write her first-ever biography on Mary Tudor, I jumped at the chance to read it because Mary is my favorite of the children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.

McElroy begins with a quick overview of the conflict that brought the Tudors to the throne, the Wars of the Roses. The marriage of Mary’s parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York united the kingdom and started the Tudor dynasty. Like any dynasty, it was important to have heirs, spares, and daughters who could be used essentially as pawns in the marriage market to create strong alliances. Mary’s eldest brother Arthur married Katherine of Aragon to form an alliance with Spain and her older sister Margaret married James IV of Scotland for another alliance. From a young age, Mary Tudor was a proposed bride for Charles of Castile, the son of King Philip the Handsome and Queen Joanna of Castile and Aragon, who would become Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Unfortunately, this marriage plan fizzled, but another bride groom was waiting in the wing, King Louis XII of France.

Mary’s marriage to King Louis XII of France and her time as Queen of France did not last long because Louis died mere months after their wedding. Now Mary could have returned to England or stayed in France and waited for another royal match to happen, but Mary chose option number three. Mary’s heart belonged to her brother Henry VIII’s best friend Charles Brandon, and the two devised a plan to marry in secret. It was out of the ordinary and it did create quite the scandal, but at the end of the day, it was a love match. Charles and Mary had a family and were involved in court politics including the Great Matter, before Mary died on June 26, 1533.

I think what has impressed me about McElroy’s books, including this one, is her ability to reveal something new to the subject material. While I knew quite a bit about Mary’s life, it was the marriage negotiations and her inner circle that truly fascinated me. If you want a new book about the sister of Henry VIII with new insight into her life and the politics of marriage, I highly suggest you read, “Mary Tudor: Queen of France” by Amy McElroy.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've actually read only one other book focused on Queen Mary, by David Loads years ago. So, I am supremely happy that McElroy has taken it upon herself to highlight this incredibly important Tudor figure. Although she mentions this only briefly at the end of the book, Queen Mary does not get enough attention for the impact that she had on the Tudor Court. She is even reduced to bare her sister's name in the show The Tudors, where the decision to make the sisters, a single character was made.

The shining star of this book is how vividly the personality of Queen Mary comes off the page. I can just imagine that she would be the lovely, introverted friend that everyone takes their problems to because she's the maternal figure of the group. McElroy managed to pain this picture through first hands accounts of those who knew Queen Mary and the letters that she wrote to various people throughout her short life. In fact, McElroy has made me want to move my copy of The French Queen's Letters to the top of my to-be-read pile.

Although, McElroy is attempting to remove Queen Mary from the shadow of her second marriage to Charles Brandon. I did find the information included about their marriage to be fascinating. I realized that I had forgotten or did not know much of the information included about this marriage. McElroy also does an incredibly thorough job of detailing how much debt Henry VIII placed them under as a "punishment" for marrying without his approval. In some ways, this book made me see how vindictive Henry could be in an entirely new light.

The information regarding Queen Mary's relationship with Katherine of Aragon was also fascinating. I knew that they were close and that Queen Mary was not a fan of Anne Boleyn's, but the extent that Katherine influenced Queen Mary's life from such a young age was exciting new information to read.

The complicated dynamics of Queen Mary's relationship with the French court were also detailed in a detailed and easy to understand way. There were so many key players at the French court that Queen Mary interacted with and seeing excerpts of their letters brought to life the colorful interactions of European royalty during this period.

This is a fascinating, well-written, well-researched, book. Every Tudor lover needs to pick up a copy. Mary, Queen of France is not only the grandmother of Queen Jane Grey, but a powerful political player in her own right.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, War

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Tudor (14 March 1496–26 June 1533), was the daughter of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.Her Governess was Joan Vaux, who she called Mother Guildford.As children, Mary and her brother, the future King Henry VIII, shared a close friendship.He named his first surviving child, the future Queen Mary I, in her honour.She was known in her youth as one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe.On 21 December 1507, Mary was engaged to Charles,later Holy Roman Emperor.The betrothal was called off in 1514.

Cardinal Wolsey negotiated a peace treaty with France, and on 9 October 1514, Mary married the elderly King Louis XII of France at Abbeville.She was accompanied to France by several English maids of honour (one of whom was Anne Boleyn) under the supervision of her governess.Despite two previous marriages, Louis had no living sons.However, their marriage was short-lived and childless as he died on 1 January 1515.

Mary was in love with Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, wanted to marry him. However, Henry VIII and his council wanted any future marriage to be to their advantage.
However, the couple wed in secret at the Hotel de Cluny in Paris on 3 March 1515.Henry and the privy council were outraged.Due to the intervention of Thomas Wolsey and Henry's affection for both his sister and Charles, the couple was given only a fine. They officially wed on 13 May 1515 in the presence of King Henry VIII and his courtiers.In 1528, the marriage was legitimised. Mary was Charles Brandon's third wife and was stepmother to his children. Mary and Charles had 4 children.Through her older daughter, Frances, she was the maternal grandmother of Lady Jane Grey,the 9-day queen.
Even after her second marriage, Mary was referred to the English court as the Queen of France and was not called the Duchess of Suffolk in her lifetime.

In the late 1520s, relations between King Henry VIII and Mary were strained when she opposed the King's attempt to obtain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon,whom Mary had known and liked.Mary strongly disliked Anne Boleyn, whom she had first met in France.

Beauty aside, Mary was diplomatic, intelligent, and charismatic.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

240 pages

4 stars

This book covers the history of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York. She was a sister of Henry VIII and Margaret who went on to marry King James IV of Scotland.

Unfortunately, not much was recorded about Mary’s early life. It is supposed that she was raised with Henry and Margaret with the aid of their mother and various nurses, tutors and maids.

Even at age three, offers for Mary’s hand in marriage began to appear.

Following several offers, contracts and machinations, Mary was finally betrothed to King Louis XII of France. Louis was in desperate need of an heir and it is supposed (perhaps), that the elderly King overdid his exertions with his very young bride. The marriage with King Louis XII did not last long.

Following the death of King Louis XII, Mary wanted to marry Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Intense negotiations ensued between Mary, Charles, King Henry VIII and the French delegation. Payments would be made and Mary and Charles would return to England.

All evidence shows that Charles and Mary had a happy marriage until her death in 1533.

This is a very good book. It is full of facts and interesting tidbits. The book is easy to understand and is easily comprehensible for any readers. I enjoyed it very much having not read much about Mary.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have read this year! Mary Tudor is a figure that has always fascinated me, and I have read Amy’s two previous books, which are both excellent so when she announced that she was doing her third on Mary Tudor, I was ecstatic! 🤩

This book is a masterpiece, there is no negatives about this book. Amy has done the most meticulous research and dedication to Mary’s life and story. Mary is an often forgotten figure, but my gosh does Amy bring her to the forefront. I learnt so much about Mary too, I only knew the basics but there is more to Mary than we’re led to believe! I just love this, utterly brilliant.

The most brilliant book, I cannot urge more people to read and rave about this book.

Bravo Amy! ❤️

[Nats Big Book Energy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy gives us an interesting look into the life of one of England’s most misunderstood queens. McElroy does a great job of bringing Mary’s emotional journey to life, showing her struggles with power, love, and betrayal. The writing is easy to get into and really pulls you into the drama of the Tudor court. That said, the pacing can feel a little off at times, and I think some of the historical details could’ve been expanded. But overall, it’s an enjoyable read for anyone who loves historical fiction. 4 stars.



Arc copy provided by Netgalley

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography explores the extraordinary life of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister—from princess to queen to duchess. The book is enjoyable and easy to read, though it doesn’t seem to break any new ground. I suspect there just isn’t any more source material to draw on about Mary’s life. Still, it was nice to read about her as the heroine in her own story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.