Edward VI in a Nutshell

by Kyra Cornelius Kramer

MadeGlobal's History in a Nutshell Series aims to give readers a good grounding in a historical topic in a concise, easily digestible and easily accessible way. Born twenty-seven years into his father's reign, Henry VIII's son, Edward VI , was the answer to a whole country's prayers. Precocious and well-loved, his life should have been idyllic and his own reign long and powerful. Unfortunately for him and for England, that was not to be the case. Crowned King of England at nine years old, Edward was thrust into a world of power players, some who were content to remain behind the throne, and some who would do anything to control it completely. Devoutly Protestant and in possession of an uncanny understanding of his realm, Edward's actions had lasting effects on the religious nature of the kingdom and would surely have triggered even more drastic changes if he hadn't tragically and unexpectedly died at the age of fifteen. Physicians of the day wrote reams of descriptions of the disease that killed him, but in Edward VI in a Nutshell , medical anthropologist Kyra Kramer (author of Henry VIII's Health in a Nutshell ) proposes a new theory of what, exactly, caused his death. Straightforward and informative, Edward VI in a Nutshell will give readers a better understanding than they've ever had of the life, reign, and death, of England's last child monarch.

Genres: History

92 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2016

About the author

Kyra Kramer is a medical anthropologist, historian, and devoted bibliophile who lives just outside Cardiff, Wales with her handsome husband, two wonderful daughters, a magnificent son, and assorted very weird rescue dogs. Ms. Kramer has authored several history books and academic essays, and has recently begun writing fiction as well. You can visit her website at kyrackramer.com to learn more about her life and work.

Reviews

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was especially interested in the idea of Edward, his uncle, and his half brother all dying in such manner that closely resembled one another. Of course we have to be very careful to not just assume, and it is nearly impossible to diagnose someone 500 years after their death. However, in all of my reading about the Tudors, I never really thought about the similarities in their deaths before.

I do, however, take issue with the idea that Jane was the lawful queen or viewed herself in that way either. Stating that Henry VIII's will mattered as much as a "gnat's tiny poo" is also not something one would expect to find in a book such as this. I highly doubt few viewed Mary as the usurper in this situation, either.

[Alex Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I regret that I can't say anything positive about this very brief biography of Edward VI, the remarkable "boy king", son of Henry VIII, brother of "Bloody Mary" and Elizabeth I, and who died unexpectedly at age 15. It's only fair to warn you that this work is, frankly, grossly uninformed and strewn with historical and cultural errors. No one who has completed school in England could be expected to have made such cultural errors, and it may be noted that the author seems to have no qualifications in history other than personal reading.

For a solid, brief treatment of Edward (80 pages), see Edward VI by Stephen Alford, Professor of Early Modern History at Leeds. Romantic, lively, and animated is Hester W. Chapman's The Last Tudor King, a Study of Edward VI. For a recent very readable treatment by a brilliant contemporary young historian, read Chris Skidmore's Edward VI the Lost King of England.

[Sofie Sieling · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who wishes to be a historical researcher regarding the Tudor dynasty, this short biography was a refreshing read. Even though I did know most of what was written, the author's thoughts of what happened, backed up with literary evidence, was indeed a great way to portray the king himself. The only part that lowered if from 5 starts was the biological parts of the passing of King Edward VI. I do enjoy biology, but it is not something that I am incredibly interested in, so those pages were quite dense to read for me personally. Nevertheless, this book series has not let me down yet.

[Crystal Ellyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Giveaway a couple of years ago. I found this book very interesting, it talks about his life and the sickness that he died of. It was a quick read. I really did enjoy this book!! I have always been interested in the Tudors dynasty. I rated this book a 5 out of 5 stars!!!!