The Making of Henry VIII

by Marie Louise Bruce

To what extent did King Henry VIII’s upbringing shape him into the tyrannical figure we know today? This concise, well-researched analysis sheds light on a little-known period of the infamous monarch’s life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Tudor Period, Historical

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2021

Reviews

[William Bahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mesmerizing making of King Henry VIII

For me, this was a page-turner of a book, reading almost like an exciting novel. Herein is covered King Henry VIII’s fascinating life, from his birth in 1491 to his coronation in 1509. In 264 pages, the author provides detail after enticing detail about what made Henry the kind of king he came to be.

I must admit that throughout the book, since I didn’t notice any footnotes (there are 3), I was wondering where all the research was that went into this vivid account of Henry’s early life. Well, there at the end in the Notes and Sources it was, kinda. While I’m pretty sure all the factual references are correct, I’m wondering (without a seemingly difficult check) where the author got the information about what was going in Henry’s mind. It’s possible she derived this from letters he wrote, but the casual reader is left to pretty much trust what she reports. Henry’s thoughts could have come from logical supposition and preponderance of circumstantial evidence, but one would really like to be sure, especially about the person who more or less introduced England to the Renaissance and the Reformation. Just now, however, upon close inspection, I recognize the author did carefully use qualifying words such as “would have thought,” so I’ll have to give her extra credit for still making her story come alive.

I’ll also give the author credit for the overall psychological picture she paints of a person schooled to become an “idealistic” philosopher-king on the one hand while on the other hand bearing witness to the “realistic” duplicity and studied ambiguous strategy and statecraft of his father, King Henry VII. OTOH, the author at times may give just a little too much credit to heredity for Henry’s mental development. It’s been reported that “genius genes” are only passed along in half the offspring. As well, a person’s character is pretty much an unpredictable mosaic of nature, nurture, and of course, free will. In any case, now that we know what “made” Henry VIII, how will he turn out? Will near-absolute power corrupt absolutely? What with many popularizations of the man and his reign, we all likely think we know. But in any case, this enlightening and pleasurable read gets us to the point where we can better understand what was to come.

Overall this book is a well-written, fascinating origin story about the transformative King of England, Henry VIII. Highly recommended!

Of possible interest: George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key - the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul, a best-seller at Mount Vernon. “Character is Key for Liberty!” and
Strategy Pure and Simple: Essential Moves for Winning in Competition and Cooperation

[Matty van Hoof · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of 'The making of Henry VIII' by Marie Louise Bruce.
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I got an advanced copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I requested this title because I had an interest in the topic
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The book gives an overview of the early beginning of Henry VIII and what kind of impact it had on his reign.
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Positives? It was a fast-paced book with great descriptions of medieval monarchal life. The writer gave a great insight into the psychological impact royal life had on a young boy. She also gave broad explanations on events that happened during his life that were important. While it's a nonfiction book, it read like fiction at times, which was pleasant.
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Negatives? I would have loved a glossary on the main people who were mentioned in the book.
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Recommend? If you like:
• history
• psychology
• Tudor dynasty
• Game of Thrones

[Michelle Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII is one of England's most memorable kings. Not just for his marriages, although those certainly helped, but also for his ruthlessness and tyrannical nature. He is the king who popularized the address of "Your Majesty" instead of the older "My Lord" or "Your Grace." He's the king who sacked the monasteries. The king who executed those most loyal to him when they failed to meet his unreasonable demands -- More, Wolsey, Cromwell, and more.

This book seeks to ferret out the causes of Henry's personality and temperament. And it does so quite well for a book originally published in the 1970s.

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The making of Henry VIII takes a primarily chronological view at explaining why Henry was the way he was. Why he was so insistent on a male heir and would go to any lengths to get one. Why he was so ruthless and fickle. And why he was so quick to turn on those most loyal to him at the slightest hint of scandal.

The book covers the events leading up to his birth as well as how his father, Henry VII, came to the throne. It covers the how Henry for most of his life was seen as the spare -- not good enough to have been the heir and how resentful he was of that fact. The book delves into what it was like to be raised as royal child in the late 15th century -- from diet to clothing to education to care. This book goes into it and then applies the knowledge to child psychology to help explain how Henry became the way he was.

One of my favorite parts is the ongoing saga of the pretender, Perkin Warbeck, and his probable influence on Henry. Perkin Warbeck claimed to be Richard the Duke of York and Henry's Uncle and also rightful king of England. Other monarchs from around Europe supported him, much to Henry VII's annoyance. And the rebellions that sprung up around him lead Henry and his siblings to have a very uneasy life. The way the author presents it is well done. She lays out the facts and then applies logic to how it could be interpreted.

But it is an interpretation, and the author admits as much. While the facts are accurate as of the date the book was originally written, the conclusions she draws are opinion. I could see this book being valuable to the casual historian as well as the author looking to add color and context to a historical novel. The book included some events that aren't well known in her exploration which was nice.

In all this is an easy to read, well-researched deep dive into the early life of Henry VIII.

Five Stars

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Louise Bruce wrote this biography on Henry VIII in the 1970’s, using the still young-ish field of child psychology to examine how Henry’s earliest experiences created the tyrannical king of later years. Most historians zero in on the events of 1537/37 as the time period that created “Ax Happy Harry,” but Bruce makes a strong case here that it was already set much, much sooner.

The book covers events that are usually scattered across biographies of Henry VII, Catherine of Aragon, Perkin Warbeck, and others of the time period. Here it is all grouped together with a focus on how they all impacted the soon-to-be Henry VIII.

Henry VIII inherited a lot of unease and insecurity alone with the genes of his parents. He had the same height, build, charm and passions as his grandfather Edward IV – as well as being brought up with the knowledge that his uncles, The Princes in the Tower, had disappeared and probably been murdered, despite all the care Edward IV had tried to set up for his dynasty.

Both of Henry VIII’s parents suffered a lot of ups and downs before they became king and queen of England, and, despite the stability Henry VII worked so hard to establish, there was always a sense of possible catastrophe in the not-too-distant future, and a very real worry about ongoing attacks from various pretenders to the throne.

Besides the politics that Henry grew up surrounded by, Bruce also digs into what it does to someone when, following the then royal protocol, children are separated from their parents physically and emotionally. Henry was raised in the height of available luxury – but a servant breastfed him, and servants bathed him and dressed him and rocked him to sleep and taught him his first lessons in manners and letters. All with a noticeable power imbalance involved. Bruce suggests this lack of initial, physical parental love had a deep impact on Henry.

Then, as Harry grows, he gets a front row seat to his father’s realpolitik, taking away a lot from the lessons on executing those with claims to the throne, while somehow missing the lessons on good finance.

I think Bruce takes it a little far sometimes, such as suggesting that growing up hearing stories of his grandmother Elizabeth Woodville being accused of witchcraft was why he accused Anne Boleyn of witchcraft.

But sticking to what Henry actually would have experienced was fascinating, such as pointing out he probably took hawking lessons from the former rebel Lambet Simmel and would have seen Perkin Warbeck paraded around court after he was finally caught.

Its tricky to try and get into a 10 year old’s head from 500 years away, but it is more likely than not that he at least had a twinge of jealously to see his brother loaded with honors and titles and given the grand wedding and princess. And impossible to know what kind of swirl of emotions he felt when Arthur died – but it is a fact his life changed then, and its fascinating to read the details of how different the life of being a second son vs. a Prince of Wales were.

I absolutely agreed with Bruce that Henry losing his mother when her was 11 was devasting for him – the grief clearly hit him hard, and she died before he could see her as a flawed human being, but instead he then put her on a pedestal, a comparison none of the other women in his life were ever, ever able to live up to.

After Henry and Catherine are betrothed, we see that Catharine’s life between brothers wasn’t the static waiting period most historians describe, but a constant up and down depending on larger political factors. One month Spain is winning battles with France and Henry VII is cheerfully giving his “dearest daughter” 200 pounds to cover expenses for her royal court, the next month, alliances in the Hapsburg dynasty shift, and suddenly he’s informing her she’s owned nothing from him and if she complains he’ll stop giving her even the food he allows her to have. Wild.

Henry VII keeps his son close throughout his teen years, despite Henry wanting to go out and do more, and he teaches his son how to play the diplomatic game of saying yes and no at the same time, forcing young Henry to start doing mental gymnastics that nothing is his fault that he will continue to do the rest of his life.

Meanwhile, Bruce hits the nail on the head, pointing out how Henry VII and Henry VIII had the classic self-made-man and born-rich-son relationship that happens all over time and space. Henry VII struggled so his son wouldn’t have to – but then is baffled that his son, who never lacked for anything, doesn’t appreciate hard work and the value of a pound the way he does. And so they fight and have an antagonistic relationship because they have nothing in common. Classic.

Henry VIII then found the death of father a joyful release more than anything else, allowing him to finally do what he wanted, and he never really stopped.

A great biography that both gets into parts of what made Henry VIII as well as a close examination of a time period often glossed over.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did young, charming Henry Tudor turn into the paranoid King Henry VIII? Ms. Bruce presents the childhood of Henry and his siblings: how they travelled, what they ate, and where they lived. Like most of the children of the nobility, Henry did not live with his parents, so nurses and tutors had a significant impact on his personality. His mother, Elizabeth Plantagenet, daughter of King Edward IV, died when he was young and is not discussed very much, but readers get a sense of his father, Henry VII through his actions and surviving documents. By watching his father, Henry VIII learned how not to trust people and how to mistreat women, but he also learned how to use propaganda and to gain wealth without alienating the nobility and that clemency can come back to haunt a king. Even though this is an older book, the psychological harm to a youthful Henry would be confirmed by psychologists of today. Ms. Bruce has included a useful bibliography and has a easy flow to her writing. I also enjoyed her biography of Anne Boleyn. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an electronic copy in exchange for a honest review.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last fifteen years or so of the life of King Henry VIII, during which time he dissolved the monasteries and made his way through a succession of wives, comprise one of the most well known and written about periods in English history.

In the Making of Henry VIII, Marie Louise Bruce tackles a more obscure period in Henry’s life, from his birth in 1491 to his eventual ascension to the throne in 1509. Her mission: to explore how the events of his childhood resulted in one of the most tyrannical kings in European history. Thus Bruce explores the wider context of the England into which Henry was born in 1491, Henry’s place in court as the second son of Henry VII and the extraordinarily ruthless actions of his father. The writing is never less than engaging, impeccably researched and well argued.

Highly recommended for those interested in the period.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

264 pages

4 stars

I question whether one can inherit personality traits from one's ancestors, such as temper, obesity in middle age, or marrying for love. I rather think these traits are a product of one's environment. (and, in Henry's case), one's physical infirmities.

The author redeems herself when she mentions that in Henry VIII's case, he was primarily shaped by his formidable grandmother Margaret Beaufort, his somewhat paranoid father Henry VII and his mother, the passive Elizabeth, as well as the oppressive method of raising royal children and the political machinations going on at the time of his childhood.

Ms. Bruce goes to great lengths to examine all facets of Henry's childhood.

It seems to be a great leap that surmise that a part of Henry was glad that his brother died. It ascribes to Henry feelings that I doubt he had, even given his upbringing.

Following his elder brother's death, Henry became as astute observer of all that his father did, especially when it came to his beggardly behavior toward Catherine of Aragon.

Of course, the women were treated like so much chattel, as was the custom in that era.

The discussion of Henry's life from birth to coronation was very interesting and informative. Despite my minor reservations, I found the book to be a valuable source of discussion about why perhaps Henry was the way he was; what shaped his personality and aided his decisions – as seemingly abhorrent as they seem to modern people. Also included in the book is a bibliography for those who would like to further explore the subject and a list of notes and sources.

Well done, Ms. Bruce.

I want to thank NetGalley and Sapere Books for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kizzia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published by Collins back in 1977 this book has now been reprinted as an ebook by Sapere Books, opening up Marie Louise Bruce's words to a whole new audience. Covering Henry VIII's life from birth to his coronation at 17 years old, this book seeks to use his childhood to explain how the "golden prince" who was compared to greek heroes and feted across Europe when he ascended the English throne became the wife-killing tyrant history remembers him as.

The detailed look at Henry's upbringing, which is often passed over in favour of the more salacious of his exploits, was utterly enthralling and I was introduced to many details that I had never come across before which I really appreciated given that I have read a lot of Tudor history over the years so now sometimes find the books I pick up on the subject a little repetitive. I also appreciated the details included on Henry VII and the picture that was painted of almost claustrophobic court life. The book flows well and is eminently readable and I thorough enjoyed it.

That said I found the lack of any type of referencing throughout the book more than a little unfortunate as it makes it impossible to properly source any of the claims made in the book without sitting down and reading all the books listed in the bibliography. This is a serious oversight given how often Marie Louise makes claims about Henry's thoughts and feelings and specific experiences using prose that feels far closer to historical fiction than historical fact. Without the ability to clearly see which sections were based on sources and which were pure conjecture I was left unable to feel confident that the conclusions she drew were based on the historical evidence and with the uneasy sense that she had woven her own gut instincts about what made Henry who he was into a story she was using cherry picked history to sell.

[Dorayne Demoore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author starts with the assumption that as he grew up Henry VIII became a selfish, ruthless killer and in this book she shows how the seeds of this development were planted in his early life.
It could be argued that many of noble blood were forced to become hard men, growing up through the terrible Wars of the Roses, but here the focus is on Henry and how his childhood experiences molded his character.
The author has researched the men and the era carefully and this book of history resembles a novel, containing the details of ceremonies, clothing, food, and architecture that make the story come alive.
These are some of the author’s ideas:
His father had gained the throne by conquest, added by treachery by some of the great lords and he had to livewith the knowledge that he could always be betrayed by those closest to him. He also had to deal with rebellions against his rule.
Henry VIII’s older brother died suddenly, making him the only heir. His life was vital to the continuation of the dynasty. Seen from this angle, one can better understand his quest for sons.
Additionally, he took his father’s propaganda to heart - the kings had special qualities, destined to rule.
There are several more such points made and the author presents a lot of evidence to back up her point that much of Henry’s character was formed during his childhood and youth, not as a result of illness or accident. This book is an interesting character study.

[me · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but it does often read like historical fiction due to what seems like the very speculative nature of young Henry's thoughts and feelings and even the details of events. For instance:

Now one can visualize the way his eyebrows ridged together as he bent low in his high-backed chair, softened with cushions, his weak grey eyes almost touching the desk on which rested Fleming’s report.

Which is clearly marked as a flight of fancy but there's a lot of this throughout the book and no footnotes if you wanted to check where a specific idea/claim came from - the suggestion of the Sweat as influenze, for instance, or the nature of Henry's feelings for Catherine of Aragon during their betrothal and thereafter. I don't know that these things aren't based on solid evidence, but I have no idea what that evidence might be. I'd have liked a few more sources for these things and particularly for the statements that seem a bit more 'imaginative' if you see what I mean. Would I have looked them up? Probably not, but I'd at least know where they had come from.

I did keep reading to the end though, albeit skimming a bit in the last few chapters. It's well-written but it just feels a bit *too* detailled at times, in a way that leaves me uncertain in hindsight which events were being described from some probably-reliable source and which were essentially fiction.

[Jean-Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less boorish than is overrated father the unsophisticated Henri VII, less demure than his self effacing mother Elizabeth of York, but definitely lucky enough to be endowed with the intelligence and cunning of his paternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, the future Henri VIII wasn't destined at birth to seat one day on the English throne and thanks to his ebullient and colossal personality, he would have probably ended up becoming at one point down the road a major thorn on his brother Arthur's side if the latter had managed in 1509 to wear the crown. But ironically destiny decided otherwise.......
I greatly enjoyed Ms. Bruce's well researched biography about Henry's youth and his formative years. A captivating tapestry of the early Tudors'court and a compelling look at the education of a prince during the early part of Renaissance Europe. A lively and entertaining portrait of one of Britain's most celebrated monarchs and a worthy companion to Ms Bruce's marvellous Ann Boleyn previously (re) published last December. A great study to be enjoyed without moderation.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for this

[Ann-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one of England’s most famous monarchs, the vast majority of books about Henry VIII concentrate on the years of his reign whereas this book looks at his childhood and adolescence to try and explain what made him become the man we know. The book is full of detail about his ancestry and what traits might have been passed onto him together with the upbringing he had as the ‘spare’, important but not as important as his brother. Descriptions of the temperaments and characteristics of his ancestors on both sides of his family, together with the titles he was given (for political purposes), the training he received from a very early age, the clothes and toys that he had and the situations that he was exposed to all lead to the feeling that in his case nature and nurture both played an strong part in making him the king he was. This not a book to quickly read through, as it is packed with detail, rather it is one to absorb as it gets under the skin of the boy who became a king.

Thanks to Sapere Books for a copy to review.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book to get some key historical facts incorrect - I can stomach that in historical fiction, but this book is non-fiction.
In addition, I found there was a lot “little Henry must have felt…” comments by the author. It certainly is possible that Henry reacted in the ways suggested, but I think that is a conclusion the readers should make. A few times would be ok, but I found it often and annoying.
On the positive side, I did find quite a bit of information about his early childhood that I was unaware of, so that was appreciated.

[Robert Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful exploration of the making of Henry VIII

An enjoyable and easily consumed account of Henry’s early life and it’s impact on his behaviour later on. However a number of assumptions are made as to how Henry’s egotism was formed. These appear to be highly subjective yet are presented as approaching fact. This might have come across better if ‘shown’ rather than ‘told’. Apart from this minor point The Making of Henry VIII adds something to our understanding of the man which has been lacking in the vast canon of literature dealing with the Tudors

[Kathi Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good background reading

This book was interesting from the viewpoint of what could have possibly turned Henry VIII into the person he would become later in life. Feelings of loss, distrust and frustration in his young life could very well have contributed to how he related to his position as King. The book was well written and gave me a fresh perspective to consider in my quest to understand the enigma of Henry VIII.

[Susann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Fascinating!

I always love reading about the Tudors and this is one of the best books yet. Focusing on Henry VIII's early years up to the time of his coronation, the author seems to have left no reference unturned in bringing as complete a picture as possible of the future King's formative influences and experiences. What made him the monarch that he became? This book tells all and is a colorful look at his young life and times.

[D.M. Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

This is a book about Henry VIII before he became king. It’s an attempt to explain his later behaviour by delving into his upbringing.
I must admit I was thoroughly sick of hearing and reading about him.
Yet this book awoke my interest by putting him into context as a Plantagenet in behaviour and temperament.
The frequent attempts by all sorts of people descended from Edward III and those pretending to be to dethrone Henry VII had an effect on Henry VIII.
He was paranoid but to survive in those times you had to be.
He was a vain, resplendent, larger than life character with an Oedipus complex, according to this author.
She is entertaining and convincing and explains the period in a way I’ve never come across before.
A pity she only seems to have written three books.

[S M Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, but new info hadn't seen before

Some reviewers complained it was too dense but I appreciated the detail, much of which was new to me. Good marks for scholarship, and it was quite readable.

[TimetoFangirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in advance for an honest review.

This was very well researched but a little too dense for me to enjoy reading.

[wally walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

[Jenny Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

I enjoyed reading about this part of the early life of Henry viii. I enjoy reading about the kings and queens of England

[Nisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on Henry VIII. I didn’t buy some of the conclusions, but I enjoyed the read.

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book

This was a great read! It was a direct and straightforward look at many of the things that helped shape such a man.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this, it is well written