The Tudors

by Josephine Ross

THE TUDORS is the story of one exceptional family — three kings, two queens — whose personal qualities of mind and spirit shaped the glorious age of Tudor England. The Tudor dynasty was founded by Henry vii who by the grace of God and force of arms became King of England in 1485 on the defeat of the last Plantagenet king, Richard iii. It was made awesome by Henry's flamboyant son 'Great Harry', who became heir to the throne following the death of his brother Arthur and who, as King Henry VIII, raised the monarchy to a peak of absolute power when he broke with the authority of the Pope in order to marry his beloved Anne Boleyn. Henry's longed—for heir became Edward VI, the boy—king who might in time have become a great and wise ruler had it not been for his untimely death in 1535 which left the kingdom threatened with turmoil and rebellion. There was popular rejoicing when Mary Tudor came to the throne but this quiet, religious woman's devotion to her mother's memory soon unleashed the terrors of the Inquisition into England. Last but not least was the matchless, triumphant Virgin Queen Elizabeth I, who inspired her subjects to such magnificent feats that her reign became a byword for heroism, talent and achievement. Josephine Ross vividly portrays the lives of England's rulers during the three passionate, tragic and glorious generations of the Tudor monarchy, which saw the transformation of England from an isolated medieval kingdom to a great European power.

Genres: History, Tudor Period

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

As a finalist in Vogue talent contest, Ross won a job on Vogue and joined the magazine after graduating from London University.
She left the magazine two years later to write full time, and her publications include a biography of The Winter Queen (1979) and Beaton in Vogue (1986).
She is married to medieval historian and writer James Chambers; and her interests include history and fencing. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting overview of the five monarch's who made up the Tudor Dynasty of England: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth I. This is a family that ruled for just over 100 years bringing England up from a country shattered by a very long civil war (The Wars of the Roses) into the beginnings of a global empire.

The book is elaborately filled with illustrations, including family trees, maps, paintings, and samples drawn for other contemporary art. That is not surprising since this is a coffee table book The accompanying narrative is well-written and interesting. I am really into the Tudors, and I can say that I still learned a few details.

I will say that Ross isn't exaggerating when it comes to the choice of title. She easily slides over some of the strongest faults of many of the individuals she is covering in the book. She does discuss the high number of executions, but the coverage seems almost rushed or glancing rather than being in-depth. As a result, the five monarchs do come across rather untarnished. Don't get me wrong, they are some of the most interesting and influential leaders of England, but they definitely had their dark sides.

This is definitely worth a read, particularly for someone looking for a more basic or introductory presentation of the Tudors.

[Claudio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent images throughout and the accompanying text although well known in the main is stili deserving of attention.