The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women: A Social History

by Elizabeth Norton

The turbulent Tudor Age never fails to capture the imagination. But what was it truly like to be a woman during this era? 

The Tudor period conjures up images of queens and noblewomen in elaborate court dress; of palace intrigue and dramatic politics. But if you were a woman, it was also a time when death during childbirth was rife; when marriage was usually a legal contract, not a matter for love, and the education you could hope to receive was minimal at best.



Yet the Tudor century was also dominated by powerful and dynamic women in a way that no era had been before. Historian Elizabeth Norton explores the life cycle of the Tudor woman, from childhood to old age, through the diverging examples of women such as Elizabeth Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister; Cecily Burbage, Elizabeth's wet nurse; Mary Howard, widowed but influential at court; Elizabeth Boleyn, mother of a controversial queen; and Elizabeth Barton, a peasant girl who would be lauded as a prophetess. Their stories are interwoven with studies of topics ranging from Tudor toys to contraception to witchcraft, painting a portrait of the lives of queens and serving maids, nuns and harlots, widows and chaperones. Norton brings this vibrant period to colorful life in an evocative and insightful social history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Tudor Period, Historical, Audiobook, British Literature, Biography

406 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2016

About the author

Elizabeth Norton is a British historian specialising in the queens of England and the Tudor period. She obtained an Master of Arts in Archaeology and Anthropology from the University of Cambridge in 2003 and a masters degree in European Archaeology from the University of Oxford in 2004.

Elizabeth Norton is the author of five non-fiction works: She Wolves, The Notorious Queens of England (The History Press, 2008), Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's Obsession (Amberley, 2008), Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's True Love (Amberley, 2009), Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's Discarded Bride (Amberley, 2009) and Catherine Parr (Amberley, 2010).[2]' She is also the author of two articles: Anne of Cleves and Richmond Palace (Surrey History, 2009) [3] and Scandinavian Influences in the Late Anglo-Saxon Sculpture of Sussex (Sussex Archaeological Collections, 2009)

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 4 out of 5]

The average woman had a pretty miserable existence. Every day, six days a week was the same. Domestic work without any appliances, very low level paid toil, childcare, make all the clothes and cook the often meagre rations which lacked variety and then have sex with your Lord and Master. Should offspring result before marriage you were a slut and and he's a great guy who gets the girls (some things never change). Illegitimate child on the way? Too many babies? Kill them, problem solved. For entertainment you can occasionally risk going out and getting drunk if you don't mind a reputation (again, somethings never change). That's six days a week. On the seventh there's Church and preachers who threaten eternal punishment for following the Devil's path.

Should you step out of line and gossip too much, nag your husband and be generally known as sharp-tongued, then you could be marched or dragged through the town with your face in a metal cage, sharp points digging into your tongue. Men never gossip, nag or say unkind things so of course they were never punished.

There are always two ways out of a mundane and burdensome life. If you are very, very fair of face with an appealingly buxum figure, you can marry 'up'. Or become a whore. If being a whore sits well with you and you are clever, with a pretty turn of phrase then 'mistress' is the term, better paid and with long term prospects.

The second way is popular adulation. These days it's through reality tv, glamour modelling or just being "a celebrity". Then it was being a prophetess! Signs and visions and wonders. Hearing the word of the Lord, the Virgin, the Divine Son, and sucking up to those with money prophesying great things for them. You had to be able to read for this one so you could always be seen with your head in your Bible, far from worldy thoughts. Travel, money, being entertained by kings and princes might follow, if you didn't get exposed as the charlatan you obviously were. Then it was imprisonment and burning at the stake for you!

Tudor times were wonderful for the movers and shakers, the pirates, privateers and those with money who hung around at banquets and hunting a bit in the woods who were male. For their women... dependent on their Lord and Master's favour, not so much.

Some women had their own money left to them by a father or unusually, a childless husband. Then so long as you didn't marry, you had power! Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, born in the Tudor age, learned this lesson well.

It wasn't bad reading, kind of interesting but I got bored with the fake prophetess who popped up in so many chapters and had to skim. 3.5, rounded up.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women: A Social History
by Elizabeth Norton
This is a well researched book and gives a look into many lives of women over about 150 years. Women from all walks of life and from morning to night. Things I would never have thought of. Very frustrating when it came to women's rights. It really is amazing how researchers can find so much information about people, yes individual real people, from that long ago! About 1450 to 1600. Amazing!

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers women in pretty much all areas of Tudor life, from paupers, midwives and witches to queens.

Well-written and researched. Highly recommended.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinary work. Once again I have to repeat, the tighter the focus in most any sort of non-fiction, be it history like this, or science (any form and study), or tech, memoir of place and time- whatever it is, even the politico- the more tightly focused in definition and in subject matter, the better it usually becomes as a publication. Because the more opinion and semi-related fields or intersecting "important" matters that unhinge the original focus topic (and do they seem to do this within 90% of non-fiction-including way too many vastly unrelated tangents)- the more the non-fiction fails as a whole piece for its original quest topic.

This book not only covers the subject of the title, but manages to do so within the Tudor period 16th century "eyes" and "voice"- and DEFINITION to what "the ages" of women were. Incredible!!

After reading, during my life, 100's of books for this period- one of my all time favorite 3. And especially of that Elizabeth I- England's Gloriana, this book taught me oodles. Just oodles of facts and relative eyes, values for comparisons IN that very time's evaluation of "important". Or vital for the women who deemed to reign, farm, sell, produce services or markets in small shops, or even run through an increasing number of widowhood after widowhood inheritances increasing means to command entire industries (such as fabrics).

This is something that can be taken up and down- not read whole piece in a day. I would suggest taking each age of women on a separate read. From our baby the first Elizabeth Tudor- to the last hours in March 1603 for our golden laced Queen in her 6th age.

Sensibility warnings!! No thin skinned readers need apply. I am not kidding. There were facts and papers included here that gave such myriad detail that the audio and visual of a water boarding would seem like a childish prank game in comparison. Women and girls! Every class of them and especially some of the highest classes that were committed as highborn servants to royalty. Toughness that had to be learned young. And quickly for the wit and savvy involved from every angle.

In this period was the Reformation. Those lower and middle class groups of women who DEMANDED their voice for their religious beliefs be public, despite the consequences. WHY? Very interesting answers in their quotes. Those chapters under Henry and Mary I alone- they are first source material rich in how to play both sides in order to keep your job and also your life. Or maybe fulfill your own desire to be a martyr. Loved the particular one where she hung the clothes on different (opposing street faces) doors for her baby's christening day announcements and rituals- and then left through the basement to get her baby baptized by the "other" side. Baptism being a life and death of importance occurrence in the eye's of the Mother. And of her entire family, class, society- as well.

There are stories of condoms found in the last decades from this age. And entire opinions and meetings with Mary as Queen and Elizabeth as Queen- that I had no idea they pulled off- or why they WANTED to pull them off. Religion mattered. Friends mattered. But especially protection from "the others" in succession or affiliation, it was health and means of living of ultimate importance to also DISPLAY.

The means of getting the husband you wanted? The idea that you would not die of a disease or infection before you were 25 or 30? The idea of food you wanted? Or needed? The entire desire for a best "look" with clothing or makeup for everyday life? Or for special occasion brilliance so as not to see the skin or the toothless sunken mouth? Or how long and why those babies up to 7 or 9 months were tightly wrapped in banding? So many intrinsic to life practicalities visited with first source papers and related letters; it was amazing to read.

If you have real interest in how Henry VIII thought (he was such a real piece of work to the women in his life- not only wives), and what he hated most. Or about the women in Tudor dominance systems of laws and practices from Henry VII's reign onward until 1603, do NOT miss this book. Henry VIII hated poisoners, and I am NOT going to tell you what he did to them. Especially the woman poisoner. And you couldn't plead your belly either to get out of that one.

Excellent non-fiction. And the pages and pages of references, source material listings, and footnote related studies at the end! What nuggets to read further if you are on the same stream of interest as Elizabeth Norton. What an expert!

I could add about 7 different quotes. But I won't. You will be happier to read them yourself- especially upon what they thought of a woman after menopause. Or Mary, the Mother of Jesus. It is NOT politically correct, be warned.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stars as a work of social history focused on the average Tudor woman, which this isn’t. Three stars if you’re up for a mishmash of a bit of social history alongside a history of political and religious turmoil, seen mostly through mini-biographies of royals, aristocrats, and martyrs, i.e., the least “hidden” women of the period.

The organization is certainly strange, as Norton tries to arrange the book both by “stage of life” from babyhood to old age, and chronologically from 1492-1603, at the same time. This means at the beginning we hear a lot about the first princess Elizabeth Tudor (who died at age 3) and at the end we hear a lot about Queen Elizabeth I’s old age (with way more description of her body and how well-preserved she was or wasn’t than seemed either tasteful or relevant).

The middle is full of religious martyrs, and wow, Norton is really into describing executions, and the more barbaric and torturous, the better. Since neither martyrs nor queens are representative of the general population, I felt pretty misled about the book’s contents. Also I did not need all these detailed descriptions of people being burned to death, boiled to death, pressed to death, etc. etc., with occasional descriptions of the rack and other tortures thrown in.

Aside from that, it just seemed sloppy at times. For instance, one religious visionary who challenged the king was executed with her six greatest supporters, which somehow adds up to six total people (6 + 1 = ??). At another point the book tells us that: “The local church was central to Tudor life, and everyone believed in God—the word ‘atheism’ would only emerge during the period” which seems to contradict rather than support the author’s claim. The references are also organized as obnoxiously as possible, so you have to hunt back and forth for chapter numbers to find anything.

That said, despite a bit of skimming I did finish it, and here are a few fun facts:

- Diagnosing pregnancy was apparently very difficult at the time, and nobody (including physicians) was really sure until the baby started moving, which was also when they held life to begin.

- The Tudors put the “cake” in “pancake,” flavoring them with “cloves, mace, cinnamon, and a nutmeg” before seasoning them with salt. This sounds delicious.

- Women rarely (though not never) apprenticed in male-dominated trades, but frequently sponsored men as apprentices—said women being widows who had learned the trade during their marriage and carried it on afterwards.

- At the same time, there are numerous mentions in the records of female surgeons. Only starting with Henry VIII was there an attempt to regulate the profession. Women in general were expected to have some medical knowledge and “physic” was an expected subject for aristocratic girls, who would later minister to their neighborhoods. This was far less controversial than girls learning to read.

- On the other end of the spectrum, the most common crime committed by women was petty theft, usually of household items or clothing. Breaking into houses to steal linens could make a good living, showing how much textiles were worth in pre-Industrial Revolution times. The usual punishment was hanging if the stolen goods were worth more than a shilling, whipping if not.

- The man who first translated the Bible into English was burned at the stake for it. Under Henry VIII that cat was out of the bag, though he wasn’t thrilled about it, and women below the rank of gentlewoman were banned from reading the Bible in English, while even upper-class women could only do so in private. This whole controversy and ensuing differences of opinion about the scripture was the source of many martyrs.

- Old age was pretty much synonymous with poverty, and with women living longer than men, widows earned money by spinning into their 70s and 80s, while others depended on their relatives. Or they might be “searchers,” essentially coroners, which being an old woman apparently qualified you for automatically even though these women were known to be often drunk and easily bribed. Some rich people set up charitable “almshouses” where the elderly lived (and worked), but even with large endowments, they averaged fewer than 10 inhabitants. When bigger institutions were set up in London, some people were so eager to leave their elderly relatives there, they smuggled them in and abandoned them.

So, I did learn a bit, but overall not one of the better books I’ve read on the subject. For a real social history, try How To Be a Tudor (not specifically focused on women but still far better on the subject), or for a group biography of some interesting women of the era, Shakespeare's Sisters. The Weaker Vessel, though focused on the following century, does a far better job combining social history with mini-biographies, and with a wider scope of interest. While this book may not be a bad choice if you haven’t read much about the period or just love martyrs, it’s not one I’d recommend.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman's worth.. Take a step into the lives of Tudor women. From Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I, this book dives into the lives of not only the nobility, but some of the more notable names of the day. Most women were seen as quiet and "homemakers" some women in the Tudor ages made a name for themselves. Nuns, queens, and members of the working class, all of them had one thing in common.. they were women trying to survive in a male dominated world. They were not written into history of their own accord, but we can learn quite a bit about them from some of the surviving documents of the time, and through the lives of their husbands (of course). While some male figures, such as Henry VIII thrust many women into the spot light that might have had their names lost to time, there are others that made a splash into the spotlight owing to some very daring behavior. Anne Askew, Elizabeth Barton, Jane Dormer, and Cecily Burbage are just a few that are named in this commentary. This was an interesting read, and one that I enjoyed. While most of the names were familiar through other readings, there were a few that I had not heard much on before. This read is worth the time that it takes to get through it.

[Mikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so glad I didn’t live in Tudor England. The book gives a lot of little-known facts about women’s lives that are interesting. The author had to rely on court cases & laws to reveal ordinary women’s lives, but much more detail was available for royalty. If ordinary women had been taught to read, they could have left diaries and letters, but history is mostly silent. A rather monotonous narrator, but the substance was good.

[Micah Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read very little on this period, I found this an enthralling reading, and highly enjoyable as well as educational. I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about this time in British history, and the remarkable women who lived during it. Five stars.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the lives of women in Tudor England from the poorest to the richest.

Divided, rather creatively, into a female version of Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man, the book delves into all aspects of a woman's life in the span from Henry VII to Elizabeth I.

A must read for anyone interested in history from a female perspective, English history, or the Tudor period.

Highly recommended.

[Tony Riches · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lives of Tudor Women could have the subtitle 'the seven ages of Tudor life' as it explores the many diverse facets of their times by contrasting women at different stages in their lives. I've recently read many books about Elizabeth of York, so was glad to find a fresh perspective on what she went through providing Henry VII with an heir. (Luckily she had privileged access to pain relief - a sacred relic reputed to be the girdle of the Virgin Mary.)

Equally harrowing are accounts of what women such as the courageously defiant Anne Askew had to endure for their faith. Although familiar with Anne's story, it seems a particularly poignant (if extreme) example of the hardships faced by Tudor women at all levels of society.

At the same time, a picture emerges of confident women, stepping out of the shadows to take their place alongside Tudor men. Culminating with an ageing Queen Elizabeth clinging on to her 'Gloriana' image, I learnt something new in every chapter. I particularly enjoyed the little 'asides' sprinkled through the narrative, where Elizabeth Norton offers an insight into her considerable research.

Highly readable and informative, I'm happy to recommend this book not just for those of us with a fascination for the Tudor times but for anyone who wants to understand the history of the place of women in the world.

Tony Riches

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This focused history looks at the lives of women during the Tudor dynasty in England from 1485 to 1603. Author Elizabeth Norton explores the diverse lives of women, from the lowly to the high born, during this 108-year period, calling her effort a “collective biography.” She borrows from the Seven Ages of Man articulated by Shakespeare in As You Like It to organize the book. While there’s not always a perfect correlation, the Seven Ages as applied to women provide an effective organizational structure.

It wasn’t easy being a woman in this era. Women couldn’t own property and education was often not available. They had little power or agency apart from their fathers or husbands. Marriage could be a path to security, yet childbirth was often perilous. If they lived to what was considered an old age, they might risk extreme poverty in a society with no social safety nets or accusations of witchcraft. Paradoxically, however, this age saw two women reach the pinnacle of power and remain so for a combined 50 years - Queen Mary and her half sister, Queen Elizabeth I.

Adding to the turbulence of the era was the religious Reformation, propelled in England by Henry VIII’s schism from the Pope, and its predictable backlash, driven in large part by Catholic Queen Mary. The religious reforms afforded women increased opportunities for education and the ability to read the Bible and other religious texts and form their own opinions. Again, ironically, this newfound freedom was devastating for those women who spoke out in opposition to the propensity of the reigning monarch. When they refused to abjure, they were imprisoned and in some cases, burned at the stake, their martyrdom becoming the ultimate expression of agency.

The book is well researched and informative. Norton does a good job of combining a comprehensive look at the lives of Tudor women with fascinating individual vignettes.

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lives of notable Tudor women (Queens, princesses, duchesses, mistresses, etc); are no secret and line multiple book shelves. However, what about the women of lesser prestige? ‘Regular’ women or less-gentler born court ladies? What was life like for these members of the fairer sex? Elizabeth Norton explores this topic in, “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women: A Social History”.

Norton takes a detour from the usual Tudor history coverage with “The Hidden Live of Tudor Women”; by penning a combination ‘What life was like…’- piece with a sort of Tudor feminist study. The pages mesh together equal parts history study of Tudor women with hints of psychological analysis of behaviors and its effects on Tudor society. This is all composed with an upbeat, lively pace and in a very accessible and easy-to-read manner.

“The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” is broken into chapters based on topic but also chronologically concerning the stages of women’s lives. This is a sensible outline and results in manageable material that is both entertaining and academic.

One of the main highlights of “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” is Norton’s ability to truly emphasize and accentuate the live of ‘normal’ women making them worthwhile and noteworthy. The reader truly gains a fresh perspective of the Tudor times and even those familiar with the topic learn new facts and are educated on a different level.

Norton intersperses the chapters of “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” with side note articles/blurbs related to the subject at hand. These meanderings are equally fascinating with the text and add a substantial layer to “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women”.

On a negative note, “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” suffers from some spelling and typo print-errors begging for a stronger editor. Luckily, this isn’t a predominant trait of the text but is still noticeable along with sporadic factual errors, noticeable to strong Tudor-readers.

Norton successfully maintains the pace and stays on the topics/thesis without displaying biases; bringing a scholarly sphere to the work.

The concluding chapter of “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” has a slight abrupt and curt attitude but this is redeemed with the Epilogue looking into the future (Stuart period). Norton’s “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” is supplemented with annotated notes, a bibliography, and a section of photo color plates including some rare photos.

“The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” is a unique, fresh perspective on the Tudor period with an original look at the roles of women in general (and specific persons). Norton’s “The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women” serves as both a whimsical introduction and a solid informative piece for all readers interested in the Tudor period and the lives of everyday women, therein. Norton’s writing flows cohesively and teaches while being entertaining resulting in a highly-recommended work.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sidebars and anecdotes are interesting, but the meat & potatoes of the thing are a bit wanting. There are far better histories of the Tudor period (and its eponymous family); this book relies on the conceit that it is about Tudor women generally, yet the revelations on this score are passing thin. Still, it is charming in a stodgy kind of way.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

ROYALTY READ PROJECT

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in this book. I liked the separation into the 7 phases in life, but I would have liked to know more about the daily lives of non-royal women. There was a great deal on Elizabeth, and, for that matter, her father Henry VIII. I understand why he was included -- his policies affected the women of his day a great deal -- but it felt a little out of place.

[Janet Wertman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of wonderful information and details, but this is Elizabeth Norton for goodness' sake and I expected stuff I had not found anywhere else, wanted more in-depth insights. (Admittedly, I've looked in more places than most so that's a high bar, but still...). That said, it was well done (I loved the arrangement around the ages) and most people will (and should) love it.

[Laurel Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started in March 2018 and it got interrupted only because it had to be returned to the library. Other things intervened and I did not get back to finish it until now. It wasn't because of lack of interest. It easily held my attention even when sick in bed with bronchitis. Perhaps a little heavy on the rich and famous, especially the lives of Queens and princesses, since those lives are well documented, but through diaries and court documents we are also given some insight into the lives of the poor, and the rising merchant class. This was full of fascinating detail, and obviously can be dipped into over a long period of time.

Book description: The Tudor period conjures up images of queens and noblewomen in elaborate court dress; of palace intrigue and dramatic politics. But if you were a woman, it was also a time when death during childbirth was rife; when marriage was usually a legal contract, not a matter for love, and the education you could hope to receive was minimal at best. Yet the Tudor century was also dominated by powerful and dynamic women in a way that no era had been before. Historian Elizabeth Norton explores the life cycle of the Tudor woman, from childhood to old age, through the diverging examples of women such as Elizabeth Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister; Cecily Burbage, Elizabeth's wet nurse; Mary Howard, widowed but influential at court; Elizabeth Boleyn, mother of a controversial queen; and Elizabeth Barton, a peasant girl who would be lauded as a prophetess. Their stories are interwoven with studies of topics ranging from Tudor toys to contraception to witchcraft, painting a portrait of the lives of queens and serving maids, nuns and harlots, widows and chaperones. Norton brings this vibrant period to colorful life in an evocative and insightful social history. 8 pages of color illustrations.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. No educated utterance can come first. When I complete a book like this I feel completely satisfied and enlightened. This book is packed with interesting information and history and presented in an organized manner.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well done and very well rounded history of Tudor era women.

I learned a lot and a lot that I already knew got reinforced which is always a good thing. In my mid-20's I got fascinated with the Tudor era (pre-Goodreads) and read everything I could find so I was able to build upon a lot of that knowledge.

I have long been interested in and studying the Protestant Reformation and this book added to my store of knowledge about that as well.

Yet, this book did not just add to what I already know- I learned a lot! This is an expertly researched and wonderfully detailed account of the life of a Tudor woman from babyhood to death and from Queens to peasants. I learned about the average religious woman sitting in a church with all her children to the widow of a highborn Lord and everything in between and around.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in 16th century British History! I am so glad that my brother got this for me for Christmas! I have been slowly reading it since then!

[haleigh ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay…. Like I would hate to be a woman during this time but that’s obvious. Idk how this book was 1000+ pages bc I listened to it in a few hours on audiobook (it must have pictures or something in the actual text) it was an interesting read, something I don’t usually explore!

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for information on the lives of regular woman in the Tudor era. This book focuses primarily on the lives of queens and very high ranked women, especially the king's mistresses. There are a few bits taken from legal records about women merchants or apprentices, but there is much more about palace intrigue. Clearly the written records that survive from this era are going to be heavily weighted toward the actions of the royal family so Ms. Norton probably did the best she good with what was available. I wish she'd chosen a different title so I could have avoided reading most of a book that was not what I was looking for.

[Janina]

The author takes us on a fascinating journey into the lives of everyday women during the turbulent years of the Tudor dynasty.An engrossing read I found hard to put down.A must read book for lovers of Tudor/women's history.

[Kate Hackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lotta comma splices. Interesting, but looooootta comma splices.

[Teri Reck · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of history that I have read--this book was a very well timed read after finishing Alison Weir's book on Elizabeth of York. It is an absolutely fascinating account of that historical period through the eyes and lives of the women of the day, of every social class and standing. Using Shakespeare's "Seven Ages", the author captures the lives and fates of women in every stage of life, from the newly born to the elderly, during the bulk of the 1500s in Tudor England. She relates the typical and the atypical, of women who managed to make ways for themselves, as they always have. She speaks to those ambitous women who managed to have voice and purpose, as well as to those who fell victim to the vagaries of their times. She speaks to those who were revered-- QE I especially--and to those who were reviled, who were at the mercy of the intrigues of men, and some to the plots and plans of other women. It was a tumultuous time fraught with religious persecution, through which many women found freedom in standing firm for a higher purpose. An extremely worthy and important read!

[Grace Peck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this, a cool look at the social history of Tudor women, told through famous tudor women’s lives and ordinary women found in court documents and other records. Provides good social context for figures like Anne Boylen and Elizabeth I and other noblewomen of the time period. Also, women have always worked!! Stop letting these dumb ass trad wives convince you otherwise! Domestic labor is labor! I need a historical romance novel where the FMC is an apprentice in London during the Tudor era, that was my favorite section to learn about.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful, engaging peek into a sliver of history. An enjoyable read that shares so many vibrant details of the Tudor period and offers that hard to find enjoyable, lighter non-fiction experience.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

elizabeth refusing to look at herself in the mirror she’s just like me fr

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to Faire and immediately got on a Tudor kick: quick, act shocked. Anyway, I had a previously existing hold on this book, so it was a pleasant surprise to get it the day after I went.

The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women is a kind of fascinatingly structured history of women in Tudor England, starting with the birth of the first Elizabeth Tudor (a sister of Henry VIII's who died young) and ending with the death of Elizabeth I and the end of the Tudor dynasty. Norton takes Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man speech as inspiration and has divided the book into those seven ages: infant, schoolboy/adolescence, lover/marriage, soldier/businesswoman, judge/religious life, pantaloon/older age, and the oldest of old age/witchcraft and finalities.

So, I actually really enjoyed this book. Apart from the really interesting structure, Norton has picked out specific women from Tudor England to illustrate these ages. From famous women like the queens themselves and Elizabeth Barton to obscure people like Katherine Fenkyll and Rose Hickman, we get a pretty good cross-section of Tudor life. Granted, it's weighted heavily toward the upper class, but in that Norton is bound by the extant records, not desire.

It's a bit surface, and I can see that the structure might not work for everyone, but I really liked this book, and would absolutely read it again.

[RWBresearch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on Audible while walking (it helps!). The book is organized around the seven ages of women (paralleling Shakespeare's seven ages of man), telling the stories of both common and aristocratic women. It's all pretty depressing, not surprisingly; for the ordinary women, her evidence come almost entirely from legal filing of various kinds, so we mostly see women in trouble in various ways. And there are all those women who achieved fame and influence by being religious martyrs; sigh. But there are bright spots, in the stories of ambitious and productive widows. It was instructive to be listening to this at the same time I was reading Mantel's The Mirror and the Light, with its portraits of Tudor women.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book on the history of women during the Tudor era. There is great basic information on how dangerous life was for a female during this time, from childbirth to abuse, to daily work both in the house and outside of it. She also explains the good parts of a woman's life, though that only seemed to come after her childbearing years were finished or she became a widow. The author, also, doesn't pull any punches when discussing the abortionists, the women who killed their illegitimate children and the women who sold their children to hide their existence. It's a good general history book for someone who wants to know more about women's lives during that era.