Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Unwanted Wife

by Sarah-Beth Watkins

Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was never brought up to be a queen yet out of many possible choices, she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. Yet from their first meeting the king decided he liked her not and sought an immediate divorce. After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards.

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

176 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2018

About the author

Sarah-Beth Watkins is an author, editor and publisher who has written for various publications over the past 20 years. Growing up in Richmond, Surrey she began soaking up history from an early age.

She is the author of Margaret Tudor: Queen of Scots, Catherine of Braganza, The Tudor Brandons, Lady Katherine Knollys and Ireland's Suffragettes. Her next book is due out in October 2018. She is currently working on another historical biography.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Jane Seymour's death, Henry once again felt he needed to marry to get more sons, to ensure his dynasty was secure. Looking out of England this time, his first choices were either taken or had no desire to marry this King who chopped off his wives heads. He, with Cromwellss help, settles on Anne of Cleves. Her arrival in England and their first meet has him saying, I like her not. These words would bring a new life for Anne, but cost Cromwell his head.

Tudor England was not a place nor time period where I would want to live. Intrigue on top of intrigue, the king's friend one day, his enemy the next. Yet Anne, a young sheltered woman was smart enough to not oppose Henry's desire for an annulment, and worked out a good deal for herself in the bargain. Her life as his sister, bought her property and money.

Old English is difficult to read and there are many letters within written that way. So formal, and ten words used when one could suffice. The book covers Anne through Henry's death, her treatment under his Don's reign, Lady Jane Grey and her beheading, and then Mary taking the throne. Her fortune and treatment would change with each monarch. The book follows a clear progression, with letters and thoughts petinent to each. The history of the times is also related. I enjoyed reading this but in truth, didn't feel as if I personally got the measure of Anne's character. There is just too little known about her, but I will always think of her as the Queen who not only escaped with her head intact, but who got the best of that much married King.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divorced, Beheaded, Died
Divorced, Beheaded, Survived.

Henry VIII is one of the most famous English monarchs...and one of the worst husbands...ever. His notorious marriages are still the subject of much talk, even after the passage of 500 years.

Anne of Cleves was Henry's 4th wife, but not for very long. Henry didn't like her. He complained about her appearance and mannerisms from day one. And poor Anne has been unfairly maligned as fat, ugly, and even stupid for centuries following her disastrous (and short) marriage to Henry VIII. So unfair!!

Sarah-Beth Watkins presents much more favorable details about Anne of Cleves in this book, presenting her as intelligent and cunning, rather than stupid. After all, she survived Henry's unhappiness and was, for a time, the wealthiest woman in England because of her choices. She chose to let Henry have a divorce after six months of marriage, living as his "sister'' and being paid quite well for her silence on the matter. Take the money and run, honey -- definitely a smart move on her part.

I enjoyed this book. I knew a lot about Anne and her disastrous marriage already....but I didn't know much about what happened to her after Henry's death. The author also includes the text of the marriage and financial arrangements that brought Anne to England and her Last Will and Testament. I had never read those two documents before. Very interesting!

I'm glad someone FINALLY presented Anne as a smart, relatively attractive woman who just happened to somehow not please an aging, possibly crazy, monarch. By the time he married Anne, Henry was fat, in ill health, and literally reeked because of a constantly infected open sore on his leg (from a jousting injury he sustained.) Supposedly people could smell Henry approaching long before actually seeing him.....that's like ewwww factor 10+. Not only that, his reputation in marriage preceded him. When his queen Jane Seymour passed away after childbirth, nobody wanted to marry him. He had divorced Katherine of Aragorn in a horrible manner....then beheaded Anne Boleyn....who wanted to risk being the next victim? Poor Anne of Cleves was offered up by her family to cement a relationship with the monarchy. When she first arrived in England, Henry snuck into the room in disguise to meet her. Not recognizing him as the King, she rebuffed his attention, angering him. I imagine that was embarrassing, emasculating and upsetting for Henry. He saved face by blaming the problem on her, maligning her personality and appearance. It couldn't possibly be that she couldn't believe a smelly, fat, old man was actually the English King.....

Sarah-Beth Watkins tells Anne's story with respect, dignity and truthfulness. The information is backed up with well researched facts and presented in a very interesting manner. I enjoyed this book! The writing style is excellent. The story kept my attention from beginning to end. Even though I have read copious amounts of information on Anne of Cleves, I still learned some new facts and enjoyed reading an account more favorable towards Anne than most others. The poor woman has been called The Flanders Mare for almost 500 years. Give it a rest....she wasn't ugly. She wasn't fat. And she definitely wasn't stupid. She was a victim. And, she did the best she could in a bad situation. She came out of it a rich woman. Henry advised her to "Be quiet and be merry''....and she did. It kept her head firmly attached to her neck, which is better than a couple of Henry's other wives fared.

At 176 pages, this book is a fairly quick read. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Henry VIII. Great information backed up with research, presented in a concise, interesting manner. Loved it!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from John Hunt Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah-Beth Watkins has a knack for writing meticulously researched accounts of the lives of those who have been neglected by most historians to some extent, and as I thoroughly enjoyed her portrayal of the life and times of Margaret Tudor published at the end of last year, I knew I would appreciate this too. Despite being non-fiction, what really sets this author apart from the rest is that she makes an often dry topic seem exciting and accessible. It almost reads as easily as a fiction novel.

I couldn't think of anything worse - being the unwanted wife to a king who was renowned for his fiery, temperamental personality, and I am certainly glad that she has not been forgotten by every historian, so kudos to Watkins for bringing this maligned queen to the forefront. What is crystal clear is that Anne of Cleves was an interesting character, a strong woman and someone who had the depth and intelligence to make sure to remain in favour with Henry VIII, albeit as his "beloved sister", to maintain her position of wealth and power.

Brief, interesting and a worthwhile addition to any history buffs bookshelf, this was an informative read. I look forward to enjoying some more of Sarah-Beth Watkins' books in the future!

Many thanks to Chronos Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Navi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and accessible account of the fourth wife of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves. This is a short biography of a woman that does not receive as much attention in history books as Henry's other wives. I am new to history and this was an excellent starting point for me before I delve deeper into Tudor history.

We follow the life of Anne from when she was a young girl living in Germany to her time at the royal court and ultimately her death. Although this was a short read (under 200 pages), I feel like I got to know Anne pretty well. The author did an excellent job fleshing out the hopes, motivations and desires that Anne had throughout her life.

Anne was never meant to marry a king. Although she came from a respected lineage, she was primed to marry a duke or a prince. A king was far from what her family envisioned as a marriage partner. As a result, she never learned what it meant to be an English lady of the court. The only language she knew was German and her skill set solely consisted of needlework and embroidery. Her life was completely changed when she was approached to marry the King of England. At that time, Henry VIII was urged to find a wife from Germany to form an alliance.

Upon seeing Anne for the first time, Henry VIII had no positive things to say about her appearance. He thought her plain and physically lacking. As much as Henry tried to get out of the marriage, he was forced to proceed with the ceremony because it would have endangered England's alliance with Germany. The marriage lasted six months before it was annulled. Anne was then adopted by the King as his sister.

This was a fascinating read. I am looking forward to reading more from Sarah-Beth Watkins's back list. She has written books that are similar to this in that they provide an introductory snapshot of Tudor history.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read tons of books on Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon but apart from seeing a bit of a comedy version on drunk histories I really don't know much about Henry VIII's 4th wife so for me this is a fascinating story. 

It's an easy, quick read with lots of information. It's not in-depth but as a starting point it gives me plenty to go on and the intrigue to go find out more. Really enjoyed this

Thanks to netgalley for the free arc

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very late in my review of this book but I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah-Beth Watkins book about Anne of Cleves. Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was not brought up to be a queen, yet out of many possible choices she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. This is the Queen that King Henry VIII immediately divorced as she was "not pretty enough". After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards.

We always hear about Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn or Katherine Howard but Anne of Cleves always gets left behind. This book gives Anne of Cleves the recognition she needs. It was well written, well research and any history buff would enjoy this book!

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)

This was an interesting biography on Anne of Cleeves. The book was quite slim so you can imagine how much information there is on the "unwanted wife"of Henry VIII. I enjoyed the well-researched book but it was a bit dry and too short.

[Adrienne Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

After spending centuries on the dusty neglected shelf labelled "Henry VIII's most boring wife", Anne of Cleves is finally getting her moment in the sun. In the last year alone, Anne (or Anna) has been the featured player in several books, both fiction and non. This particular book happens to be one of the best.

Sarah-Beth Watkins takes us on a journey, from Anne's earliest days on the continent as a cherished daughter of the Duke of Cleves through her unexpected marriage to the King of England and disappointing (if not bitter) divorce from the same man, in the same engaging style I've come to expect from her.

There isn't much out there on this oft-ignored wife of Henry VIII, so when her life is explored, the narrative tends to be padded with general information on the wider Tudor Court. While some of that is important, there is a fine balance to be maintained to keep it from feeling bogged down. Watkins holds that line beautifully. We get just enough information to put Anne's life in context, keeping the focus exactly where it needs to be.

Having written several enjoyable biographies on English luminaries, Watkins demonstrates a true gift for these vignettes of life. Rich in detail, Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Unwanted Wife, is a bio you won't want to miss!

[Lois · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much about the period and players.
Maybe 30% about Anne🤔

[Alyson Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII’s Unwanted Wife
Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Chronos Books, for providing me with this ARC.

I would like to start out by saying that I really didn’t know all that much about Anne of Cleves, beyond the basics. This is the first book that I have actually read just about her alone. I have came across her in documentaries and books about Henry VIII’s wives. I do actually feel really bad for her. Now, she did actually end up coming out on a good end, but to be cast aside just had to hurt.

I found this to be a very easy read with lots of good stuff in it. We get a look at Anne from her early life until the end in a really short read, but with lots of details. I loved seeing just how actually important she was on the international scale and getting to her life after the divorce. Most of what I have read and watched about her ends after she was thrown to the side by Henry VIII. For example, I didn’t realize that Mary and Anne were only a year apart in age. I liked how Sarah-Beth went into a little detail about this relationship. I personally would have liked to have seen more, but I’m not sure if there’s really enough research material out there to go further into the relationship. I also didn’t know that Anne really suffered under Edward’s rule.

I enjoyed just how easy this was to read. I know some reviewers have pointed out that this isn’t written in a scholarly way and they didn’t like that. I personally like the narrative format; to me, it feels like I’m being entertained instead of learning. The writing here kind of reminded me of Dan Jones and Suzannah Lipscomb. It still sticks to history, but has that beautiful storytelling touch to it. As a teacher, I look for books like this to add to my classroom library. I think my students will really enjoy this, especially my girls who like reading about women in history. Granted, Anne may not be the strongest figure for them to read about, but she will give them another view of Tudor England. Although she will show them an example of a woman in history doing whatever it took to survive.

I just really enjoyed this one and really do wish that it was longer. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will be checking out her other books. I think she could be the next big figure in Tudor England. I strongly recommend that Tudor history lovers pick up this one.

This book will be out on October 26, 2018.

[The Geeky Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah-Beth Watkins explores the life of Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of King Henry VIII, in her upcoming book Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Unwanted Wife.

Anyone who has been following my blog for a while is well aware of the fact that I'm utterly fascinated with Tudor history, and the many wives of Henry VIII, in particular. It's no surprise I was immediately intrigued by this biography of Anne of Cleves.

Henry's fourth bride proved to be an unsavory choice for King. Having agreed to marry Anne sight unseen, their first meeting left him displeased with her, and he attempted to put a halt to the wedding, only to proceed as planned when he realized there was no way out of the agreement. Six months later, she agreed to having marriage to be annulled, and was thereafter treated as the King's "sister" who showed her great generosity in her settlement, which included several properties. As a result, Anne was the richest woman in England for a time. Anne outlived Henry and all his other wives, and saw both Edward VI and Mary I ascend to the throne. Anne died in 1557, having never returned home after coming to England to be Henry's wife.

This was a quick read for me—I managed to start and finish reading it before I bothered to update my reading status on Goodreads. The only other book I recall reading about Anne of Cleves was a novel, so I looked forward to reading a strictly biographical account. Partial text of various letters and documents are included throughout, along with three appendices, which includes the marriage treaty for Henry and Anne, and Anne's will.

Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Unwanted Wife didn't feel quite as in-depth as I'd hoped it would be, but it was an interesting read, nonetheless, and I'm glad I read it.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Chronos Books via Netgalley.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I previously read Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots by the same author and this is much in the same vein. Well researched and easily digestible. Anne of Cleves always seemed a fascinating character to me, being the wive that Henry VIII spurned, but treated fairly well after divorcing her.

I enjoyed learning more about this woman, who left home and country to marry a king, who was already infamous for forcing a divorce on his first wife and beheading his second. It is hard to get an idea of what Anne of Cleves was really like, but Watkins presented the evidence of her life and character as far as she has been able to discern from the sources available.

Of course history is never unbiased and Watkins is very aware of that. She presents correspondence, bits of reports and rumours contemporary to the time period, but also notes if there were conflicting accounts, which happened fairly regularly.

If you are interested in the Tudors, this book will definitely interest you!

[Constantine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.0/5.0

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Anne of Cleves sounds like a fascinating person. This book covers Anne's story from her early days until her death. How she becomes Henry VIII's fourth queen and how she lost it all. We also get to see how her life turns during the reign of two more queens, Queen Katherine and Queen Mary I (Known as Bloody Mary).

I liked how the author included the letters between the different personalities which made the reading more interesting. The book is not long but it gives you an adequate impression and information on what Anne of Cleves was as a person and how her relationship with King Henry VIII affected her.

I have been provided with a digital advance reader copy of this book by John Hunt Books (Thank you) through NetGalley and this is my honest unbiased review.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read Sarah-Beth Watkins' book about Margaret Tudor earlier this year, and so I was excited to try her newest release about one of my favourite Henry VIII's wives.
It was a fast and easy read, but slightly less satisfying than the previous one. While I did learn something new about Anne, she remained a little nebulous throught the book, and it was difficult to form an opinion on her. This is probably due to the fact that not many informations about Anne survive today. However, some letters written by herself are included, and one of the appendix is Anne's will, which was interesting to read.
Not an in depth study, but still a good read.

[Yooperprof · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a few interesting things about Anne of Cleves from this book.

The financial settlement that was reached for her following her divorce (which was really an annulment) from Henry was quite generous. Sarah-Best Watkins suggests that the "Lady Anne of Cleves" was probably the wealthiest woman in the realm for a while in the lat 1540s and early 1550s.

In religious matters, she was most comfortable with and sympathetic to "the old ways." She seemed to be happiest during the reign of Mary, and was an occasional visitor to Mary's court. When Anne of Cleves died in 1557, her will expressly left her best piece of jewelry to Queen Mary. (She left her second best piece of jewelry to Princess Elizabeth.)

Anne's life provides a reminder of how the Protestant Reformation could split families. Anne's older sister Sybille was a devout follower of Lutheran, married to the Elector of Saxony, and a strong opponent of Charles V during the Wars of Religion in the 1540s. There were Protestants, Catholics, and opportunists in Anne's immediate family - as was most likely the case in nearly every German family of the time.

[Emilija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

After reading Sarah-Beth Watkins' previous biography of Margaret Tudor, I was really excited for her new book. She has a really good writing style, making the topic feel quite exciting instead of dry and boring. The book itself feels a bit fast paced.

I didn't know much about Anne of Cleves, only that she was Henry VIII's fourth wife, and she survived due to a marriage annulment. A lot of the book focuses on her life pre-Henry, which, while interesting, felt a bit unnecessary with how short the book is. In comparison, there are only two chapters dedicated to her life during the reigns of Edward and Mary, which I think would have been much more interesting. My only other complaint of this book was that letters and primary sources are used frequently and often take up a couple of pages at a time. I found this quite distracting, especially as reading them could be quite difficult due to the spelling of English during this period.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice concise entry level introduction into Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England. It gives us an entree into the life of a woman, who despite her royal lineage, was never destined to be queen, and it seemed, was quite content to remain a "homebody" at the court of her family.

She was, when the search for a new wife for Henry VIII began in @ 1537, "... one at the end of an unflattering list ... report not favourable .." And yet, queen she became - and she seemed to make the most of her life as an independent woman of means following the divorce from Henry when " .... my husband hath nevertheless taken and adopted me for his sister ...."

A base for further reading.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was such a dreadful read. Anne barely makes an appearance here. I find myself intrigued by her. She made a deal with Henry to end their marriage, keeping her head and status and wealth. Yet she hardly emerges in this book. We even get to find out very little about the whole political and social situation that existed at this time,and what little ms Watkins does cover has been done before only much better. A trite and boring piece of drivel.

[Anna Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

So boring, took forever to chip away at. I did skim my way through it, and it seemed scholarly. But it was not conveyed in an engaging way. A 2 star read, it shouldn't take a month to get through a book under 200 pages long. I feel like not enough is known about her, so much of it was definitely filler.

[Kenzie Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. After recently discovering that I'm related to Anne (distantly of course) I have been devouring everything I could that told me anything about her and this by far was one of the better researched of the books about her. highly recommend this book!

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating and Full review to come, closer to the publication date. Received free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my review over on my blog: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...

[Desirae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne of Cleves is one of the more intriguing of Henry VIII’s wives if only because she is so routinely passed over and even denigrated, despite not only surviving him but living on - apparently happily - through the reign of Edward VI and into that of Mary I, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this new biography of her by Sarah-Beth Watkins.

However, one problem with those in history, especially women, who were not at the center of affairs, is that there is generally very little material available that can be used to flesh them out and bring them to life. For Anne, this seems to consist mainly of mentions in letters and dispatches, some (relatively formal) letters of her own, and household records. This means that even a short biography such as this contains a lot of narration about what was going on at the time but not much about how many of these events would have affected her personally.

Watkins certainly does do her best with what is available, and I found new information (to me, at least) in her recounting of Anne’s early years and relationships, Henry’s search for his fourth wife, and her life after her brief tenure as queen. Since Watkins also seemed to try to avoid speculation about what Anne was thinking or feeling (except during her marriage and the process of its dissolution), which is understandable since it’s a pet peeve of mine with other authors, especially when it becomes excessive, I didn’t get a real feel for the type of person she was - except that she obviously was a warm person (making lasting friendships with people like the Duchess of Suffolk and the king’s daughters, particularly Mary) who did not hold grudges. I would also have liked to know how she went from being “one of the richest women in England” to someone who was continually having money troubles, though that may have been mainly due to Henry and his successors not honoring his financial commitments except for right after the annulment.

[julianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Anne, a gentle soul, who escaped the most tyrannical Tudor king was largely forgotten."

Very well written, and accessible to readers with all levels of Tudor knowledge.

Enough information about the wider Tudor court to put Anne's life in to context, keeping the focus on her as much as possible.

Would have preferred something more in-depth but when there isn't much material to begin with it's difficult.

Anne was 'a lady of commendable regard, corteous, gentle, a good house-keeper and very bountiful to her servants.

She survived Henry, Edward, Jane and Mary's rules dying a year before Elizabeth took the throne.

[Anne Of Cleves · Rating 5 out of 5]

ah, at last. a tome worthy of my name.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Unwanted Wife is an interesting read. I give it four stars and recommend it who love reading about history and Tudor era.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice addition to the library of any Tudor or history lover, comprehensive and interesting, though it doesn't really provide us with much in the way of new information or insights.

Although its main focus is on Anne of Cleves, at times a lot of attention goes to Henry and his other wives, even when their actions don't impact Anne. There are also moments when the book feels a little too much like a summary or a listing of belongings and important people, at various events, lacking the necessary background information to make it relevant or useful to the reader.

Anne remains quite enigmatic, for apart from her letters concerning the annulment of her marriage, we are left with little information that can help us figure her out.

I was a bit disappointed that the other known portrait of Anne of Cleves, that by Bartholomäus Bruyn, was only mentioned in passing without any mention of its depiction of Anne or how it differed from the way she was portrayed by Hans Holbein. I'd have preferred it if an image of his portrait had been included in the book as well.

There are plenty of quotes in the book, and sometimes even quite lengthy ones, very interesting both for their informative value as for the glimpse they provide us with of Early Modern English spelling.
I was disappointed by some of the choices the author made, however, in selecting these quotes.
She left out several insightful ones that we do get in other biographies dealing with Henry VIII and all of his six wives, so it is a pity that they are not shared in a book focusing solely on Anne of Cleves.

I'd have liked to have read more of Cromwell, for example, who was a key player in the ill-fated marriage of Henry and Anne, after all. Henry's conversation with his Lord Admiral, the Earl of Southampton, is also a very revealing one, but likewise cut short in this biography. We do not get to see Henry go off at him, crying out in despair "Whom shall men trust? I promise you I see no such thing as hath been shown me of her, by pictures and report. I am ashamed that men have praised her as they have done - and I love her not!"

This was an enjoyable read and a well-researched biography, but I don't feel as if I know that much more about Anne of Cleves now than I did before, having already read both Alison Weir's and Antonia Fraser's books on the Tudor era.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few of Sarah-Beth Watkins' books before and loved them all. I picked this one with certain expectations based on the previous books, and wasn't disappointed!

In terms of readability, it's great! Some biographies can get bogged on by a multitude of details and go on a tangent, losing you in the middle. While it can be interesting, it can be really hard to read. What I like about Watkins' biographies (this one as well as the other ones I've read) is that they're straight to the point. You are of course given enough details to understand the context, but Watkins knows where to stop to keep the biography readable. So, what you get is dynamic, lively writing that makes the subject come to life. This isn't necessarily easy when your subject is Anne of Cleves, as there isn't as much information available about her as, say, the other wives of Henry VIII. Yet, it's all well managed and the biography feels complete and informational. It can be considered quite short, but that doesn't bother me in this case.

The biography is enriched with illustrations of the famous key players, as well as quotations and appendixes. The only thing that bothered me is that sometimes the quotations are in old English. While it is relevant to the biography, it can be quite difficult to read and slows down the pace. Fortunately, there are only a few of them, so don't let that bother you.
I always appreciate notes for sources and a bibliography in history works, and both are present and extensive here.

Disclaimer - I received a free digital copy courtesy of Chronos Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII, the king who was notorious for his six marriages. His first three marriages, to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour, gave Henry VIII his only children that were considered eligible for succession. Catherine of Aragon was his first foreign bride, but he would divorce her to marry Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn would later be executed and Jane Seymour would die after giving birth to Henry’s son Edward. Henry wanted to marry again, so his most trusted advisors decided to try for a foreign alliance as well as a new bride for the king. They decided that Anne of Cleves from Germany would be the perfect bride, but it did not work out and Henry decided to divorce her and claim Anne as his “sister”. She is often viewed as Henry’s “lucky wife”, but who was she and what was her life like before and after she met her husband Henry VIII? That is exactly the question that Sarah-Beth Watkins wanted to explore in her latest book, “Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII’s Unwanted Wife”.

Sarah-Beth Watkins explains who Anne of Cleves was and how has she has been described in the past:

Contemporary reports of Anne are mixed but time has not been kind to her memory. In a book by Sarah Tytler published in 1896, I was shocked to read Anne described as ‘a woman of entirely negative characteristics’. The author really had nothing good to say about her. She was ‘dull-witted as well as a hard-favoured young woman, possessed of a stolid sluggishness of temper’. Her writing reads as if Anne had personally upset her in some way. She was ‘plain and stupid’ and even had a ‘meaningless expanse of forehead’! She hasn’t favoured much better with other authors. Hume described her as ‘large, bony and masculine’ and Burnet coined the phrase ‘Flanders mare’ which has stuck to Anne throughout the centuries. Strickland, however, wrote with more sympathy that Anne ‘ was a most unfortunate, ill-treated princess…who deserved a better fate than to become the wife of a king so devoid of the feelings of a gentleman as Henry VIII’…She was Queen of England for just over six months and after became the King’s ‘sister’- a role she adopted and thrived on. She became the richest woman in England for a time with an astounding divorce settlement. Henry may not have wanted her for a wife but he did not blame her for the failure of their marriage- that would fall upon his chief minister. Anne would outlive the king and all of his other wives. (Watkins, 2-3).

Watkins begins her book by diving into Anne of Cleves’ life in Germany before she was even considered as a bride for a king. Anne’s life in Germany was simple. She didn’t really have the education that one would expect for a future queen, but she never was expected to marry a king. She was the sister to William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. Her sister, Sybilla, was married to John Frederick, Duke of Saxony, who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Confederation of Germany and was considered one of the champions of the Reformation. Anne didn’t follow her sister’s path to the Protestant faith as she was a devout Catholic, but the religious issue doesn’t seem to have caused a rift in the family.

Anne was supposed to marry Francis of Lorraine, but the engagement was broken since Francis was only 10 when it was arranged. After the death of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII needed a new wife. He wanted to make an alliance with the Schmalkaldic League, a league of Protestant territories that wanted to defend itself against the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Anne was not exactly Henry’s first choice of bride to help join this alliance, but she was the one he decided to marry, and so Anne left her home in 1539. The marriage did not last long, only six months, before Henry divorced her. Anne was a bit disappointed, but Henry was able to provide her with a wealthy lifestyle, one fit for a former queen. There were talks about Anne becoming queen again after the fall of Katherine Howard, but it never happened. Anne was able to form a close relationship with Mary, Henry’s eldest daughter since they were so close in age. Even when she was not queen, Anne of Cleves kept a close eye on what was happening, not only in the English court but what was happening in her beloved Germany. As stated before, Anne did outlive Henry VIII, the rest of his wives and King Edward VI. Anne of Cleves died at the age of 41 on July 16, 1557.

This is the first time that I have read a book by Sarah-Beth Watkins and I really enjoyed how easy it was to read and the amount of information in this book. I did not know a whole lot about Anne of Cleves before reading this book, other than the fact that she was married to Henry VIII for a short time. Watkins’ book packs in so much information that you want to learn more about Anne of Cleves and her family. This book is well researched and thoroughly enjoyable. If you want a fantastic book to introduce you to the life of Anne of Cleves, I highly recommend you read “Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII’s Unwanted Wife” by Sarah-Beth Watkins.

[Elma Voogdt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne of Cleves was Queen of England in 1540. She was Henry VIII’s fourth wife. Henry VIII married Anna, daughter of Duke Johan III of Cleves for political reasons on January 6, 1540. He was looking for a (fourth) wife and had sent his adviser Thomas Cromwell to the European courts for the search. Henry VIII was very disappointed when he met Anne for the first time. However, Henry VIII could no longer avoid marriage. It became Cromwell’s political downfall. Anne married the English king with regret in her heart. The marriage did not last long. Henry VIII had the marriage annulled with her consent in July of the same year. Anna received a generous annual allowance and access to several houses: Hever Castle (the former home of Anna Boleyn), Blenchingly Castle and Richmond Castle. She was also given the title ‘sister of the king’ and became a welcome guest at court. This and many more find we back in de the book “Anne of Cleves – Henry VIII’s Unwanted Wife.

We follow Anne’s life from when she was a young girl living in Germany to her time at the royal court and finally her death. After reading the book you have the feeling that you have got to know Anne of Cleves a bit more. The author did an excellent job wit to describe the hopes, motivations, and desires that Anne had throughout her life.

Sarah-Beth Watkins once again takes us into a piece of history. With good research we get to know Anne of Cleves a little. Not only that, but the way she became Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Henry VIII’s Strange Way of Dealing with Anne. It’s all described in the book. In addition, the author makes frequent use of letters from Anne and Henry VIII. That was actually the hardest thing to read. Written very differently from Sarah-Beth Watkins’ open way of writing.

Watkins shows you as a reader that Anne of Cleves was an interesting character, a strong woman and someone who had the depth and intelligence to ensure that she remained in favor with Henry VIII, not as his wife, but as his beloved sister . When you are first humiliated by the king and then find the strength to carry on as if nothing happened, that shows a strong character.

In summary : A short, but complete and interesting biography. A well-written and accessible book of Henry VIII’s fourth wife: Anne of Cleves. A character that hasn’t been written much about in the past. However, this book changes that. A valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone who loves history and royalty.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Queen who managed to escape a tyrant King,and was happily divorced,rich and lived in London,and was known as ' his dearest sister'. Better than having your head chopped off!
Anne is the Queen that history forgets,once her marriage has been annulled,she seems to completely disappear from Tudor history. Occasionally, you come across houses that are proudly named Anne of Cleeves,and you do wonder about the truth of this,but school was a long time ago,and life gets in the way of investigating.
I found this to be extremely readable and informative. Most books in this genre are packed full of Court correspondence,letters that are badly translated and can become a bit boring,but this book I liked. I felt sorry for this Queen,cast aside by Henry,so he could marry a more attractive woman,and all through her life,being embarrassed by the machinations of her brother in his war efforts,and the constant worries about money and somewhere to live. Although Anne had been left money in revenues from estates ,Richmond Palace and a place in the country, Bletchingley Manor in Surrey,to live,often the money to pay servants ,her food and clothes bills and expensive gifts for her Royal connections fell short,and she was reliant upon the Royal purse to pay arrears. She couldn't return home to Cleeves or her allowance would have been diminished,and the idea of being humiliated and dependent upon her family and being soiled goods was too great a price to pay. I feel she was never free from the long arm of Henry ,she had to be of the 'right religion' ,and was constantly on her guard regarding so called friends in high places. Everyone has their own agenda,and Anne certainally didn't want to annoy Henry.
After the death of Henry,during the reign of Edward, gradually,she lost her residences in favour of the new wave of courtiers and her income was reduced. She was treated with suspicion by the Protestants, yet managed to cultivate a relationship with Mary Tudor when she ascended the throne.
I think she regretted the chance to marry and have children,yet she did have a ringside seat during some of the most exciting times in history.
This is a well researched book that manages to be most informative without being boring. It could almost tempt me to do some additional research myself.