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The Age Of Henry VIII
Professor Dale Hoak of The College of William and Mary delivers twenty-four lectures where in he tries to answer the questions via a retrospective assessment of both Henry VIII and his reign.
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First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 19, 2017
By the end I found I didn't regret having gotten this title, although at first I wasn't so sure. Author's speaking style took some getting used to as he came off as ... pedantic (shall we say) early on. Also, other reviewers have mentioned digressions, which I can understand, but would say that the material becomes more philosophical, or theoretical, than factually-rooted at times. I'll give him credit that it's a different approach to one of the most well-trodden periods in history, as opposed to a recitation of facts without much interpretation which wouldn't work well.
Bottom line: target audience would be Tudor-philes looking for a fix.
Bottom line: target audience would be Tudor-philes looking for a fix.
May 21, 2021
A very informative lecture series on the reign of Henry VIII which covered a number of topics not usually mentioned by today's popular historians or novelists.I found particularly fascinating the lectures on Erasmus and the origin of modern Humanism,More's 'Utopia' and,towards the end,what probably happened to the Henry VIII's last Will and Testament!
November 25, 2014
"Audio download.
I have to begin by complimenting the many fine reviewers (on TGC) who show such a high degree of insight and knowledge...it was on the basis of many of these reviews that I purchased the course (and yes it was on sale, with a coupon). Kudos to you all.
Prior to listening the Dr Hoak's lectures my awareness of Henry VIII and the Tudor 'dynasty' was little better than that Peter Noone ditty of the 1960's or that Tudor might refer to an option to consider when buying a new car. What I learned was astounding!
Dr Hoak presented a well-structured course that attempted to connect Henry's actions within the context of the times, early 16th century. Characters that I only vaguely recognized were weaved (woven?) into a tapestry of intrigue, deception and lust that are headed by Henry himself. Wolsey, Cromwell (no, the other Cromwell), More, Tyndale and Cranmer...not to mention the wives. What a fascinating lot! And the supporting cast of Charles V, Francis I, Erasmus, a pope or two and Holbein, all made for a busy time surfing the web for more information about each and every one of these guys.
For the potential buyer of this course, beware that the lecturer's style is not really all that pleasant, but the material is first rate...it made me want to learn more about the lives of those incredible people who shaped the history of England. In the end, isn't that why listen to these lectures?
Recommended...but wait for a deal."
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January 9, 2020Took me almost 3 months to get through the 24 30 minute lectures & the course outline on the life and times of Henry VIII but I did enjoy most of it and learned a lot. Much of my "knowledge" about this era comes from reading historical fiction so good to have a more thorough look at Henry.
Never stopped to think that Henry was quite the "media savvy" prince of his times -- he is the one king we all recognize from the Holbein portraits. Especially appreciated the background Dr. Hoak gave on Anne Boleyn and Thomas More.
Never stopped to think that Henry was quite the "media savvy" prince of his times -- he is the one king we all recognize from the Holbein portraits. Especially appreciated the background Dr. Hoak gave on Anne Boleyn and Thomas More.
October 10, 2022
Takes a Different Approach to This Most Famous English Monarch
I listened to this series of lectures right after finishing A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts by Robert O. Bucholz, another in the Great Lectures series of audiobooks. While there was of course overlap with the prior lectures and much of the documentaries and films I've seen on Henry VIII and his wives, advisors, bishops, nobles, court, and everyday life at the time, I still learned a fair about Henry's obsession with his image of Imperial Royalty and strength and virility as a sovereign with a divine right to rule, and his willingness to go to any lengths to produce a male heir. Prof Hoak devotes plenty of time to the philosophy of Thomas More's Utopia, Erasmus, Anne Boleyn's political stratagems, Thomas Cromwell and Cardinal Woolsey, and also tries to paint a picture of the everyday lives of people in this period of Tudor rule. It's interesting and well worth the time.
I listened to this series of lectures right after finishing A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts by Robert O. Bucholz, another in the Great Lectures series of audiobooks. While there was of course overlap with the prior lectures and much of the documentaries and films I've seen on Henry VIII and his wives, advisors, bishops, nobles, court, and everyday life at the time, I still learned a fair about Henry's obsession with his image of Imperial Royalty and strength and virility as a sovereign with a divine right to rule, and his willingness to go to any lengths to produce a male heir. Prof Hoak devotes plenty of time to the philosophy of Thomas More's Utopia, Erasmus, Anne Boleyn's political stratagems, Thomas Cromwell and Cardinal Woolsey, and also tries to paint a picture of the everyday lives of people in this period of Tudor rule. It's interesting and well worth the time.
April 30, 2021
Hoak covers the time period of the reign of Henry VIII from a high level point of view, occasionally swooping in for close-ups on this person or that. If it had a main focus, I would say it would be religion and Henry's ego. It is more or less chronological, but with a little back and forth as he is more interested in covering different subjects rather than following a strict timeline.
Hoak gets into the English Reformation, laying out the different factors that went into making it - religions, politics, people in England, people in Europe, sex, books, and, above all, the personal.
He does cover all six wives, but spends the most time on Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr and their roles on the English Reformation and foundation of the Church of England. He quickly skims over the other four due to the fact they didn't contribute to that. Still, I LOVED that he focuses so much on Anne's political and religions career (unlike so many who dismiss her as a homewrecking sexpot) and gives her the credit she is long over due for her work towards social change.
He also mentions that Anne Boleyn's mesmerizing eyes that her contemporaries commented on may have been due to a rare genetic condition that causes the eyes to appear backlit. He casually mentions Hitler may have had the same condition. (!!!)
He spends a lot of time on Thomas More, both on Utopia (gleefully describing the contradictory nature of "no-place") and the (in)famous trial. He argues that the execution of Thomas More was the beginning of a culture that we take for granted today - the idea that the law is "omni-competent." This was the first time I have ever heard this word - Hoak argues the trial of Thomas More started this idea that the law is the highest power with no higher appeal and it is able to cover everything. It blew my mind to think of how accurately this describes how people today think of the law, but at that point it was a radical idea.
He also makes sure to point out over and over how Henry wasn't executing people - he was murdering them, and often for the most petty of reasons. He cites Dudley and Empson as evidence that Henry was kill-happy from the beginning, rather than it being a later development, which made me do a little happy dance. Why does everyone forget Dudley and Empson?!
Hoak gives Henry - I believe - a little too much credit for his musical abilities, but I absolutely agree he was incredibly savvy when it came to the importance of visuals and being on show. The fact that Henry VIII's portrait is one of the most easily identified portraits today says a LOT about how well Henry knew how to play the media game.
June 27, 2024
This 24 lecture series about the Age of Henry VIII in England appeals to my interest in Reformation era politics. I'm not sure that I learned a lot of new things in this lecture series, except maybe that Henry VIII was a great singer with a wonderful voice! The Reformation era has always been a historical period of great fascination for me, there are so many interesting people living at this time period! This was more like a comfort read for me, just to soak in one professor's expertise and hear his opinions on what he has learned about this time period.
Professor Hoak is well spoken. He does not have any distracting speech mannerisms and communicates clearly. This is the only course that he has taught for the Great Courses, but I certainly wouldn't mind hearing from him again. He starts out with a few lectures on Henry's background and how the Tudor family got the crown. Of course, the death of Arthur comes into play and Henry's marriage to Arthur's widow. We learn about Cardinal Wolsey and Henry's visit to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Soon troubles set in, and the majority of the lectures focuses on that well known period between 1526-1536, when Henry began to take an interest in Anne Boleyn and eventually divorced Catherine of Aragon and married Anne Boleyn. Professor Hoak spends some time discussing the religious changes that were taking place in England at this time, Anne's role in the religious changes, and the saga of Thomas More.
The last group of lectures gives attention to each of Henry's wives and what was going on at court by the frequent in and out of the later wives. The lecture series ends with Henry's death, but I felt the professor could have touched a bit more on the transition from Henry to Edward VI. I am endlessly fascinated by this topic, so I may have enjoyed these lectures more than you would, but I'm still going to recommend it to you.
Professor Hoak is well spoken. He does not have any distracting speech mannerisms and communicates clearly. This is the only course that he has taught for the Great Courses, but I certainly wouldn't mind hearing from him again. He starts out with a few lectures on Henry's background and how the Tudor family got the crown. Of course, the death of Arthur comes into play and Henry's marriage to Arthur's widow. We learn about Cardinal Wolsey and Henry's visit to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Soon troubles set in, and the majority of the lectures focuses on that well known period between 1526-1536, when Henry began to take an interest in Anne Boleyn and eventually divorced Catherine of Aragon and married Anne Boleyn. Professor Hoak spends some time discussing the religious changes that were taking place in England at this time, Anne's role in the religious changes, and the saga of Thomas More.
The last group of lectures gives attention to each of Henry's wives and what was going on at court by the frequent in and out of the later wives. The lecture series ends with Henry's death, but I felt the professor could have touched a bit more on the transition from Henry to Edward VI. I am endlessly fascinated by this topic, so I may have enjoyed these lectures more than you would, but I'm still going to recommend it to you.
September 12, 2022
4.5
This series of lectures, produced as one of the Great Courses by The Learning Company, presents quite a different perspective from the biographies and historical fictions I have read or listened to about the renowned King Henry VIII. It contains brief descriptions of many of the commonly known key events in his life such as his six wives and break from the Roman Catholic Church over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, but Professor Hoak focuses far more on aspects often glossed over in most accounts of Henry and those around him.
For example, Hoak details the ways that Henry and his father dedicated much time, thought, and wealth to their "media image" in order to solidify and enhance their concept of "imperial kingship." It's a unique way of explaining the glittering spectacle invested in clothing, majesty, and military pageantry associated with 16th century English monarchy. Erasmus, Thomas More, Utopia, and Thomas Cromwell nearly always appear in Henry's narrative, but Hoak actually devotes the time to explain them clearly.
I gained more understanding of King Henry and this time period than I had expected from a relatively short course which Audible offers as a free bonus for members. I considered myself quite familiar with the Tudors, and still I gained fresh impressions of their motives and actions by listening to these lectures.
This series of lectures, produced as one of the Great Courses by The Learning Company, presents quite a different perspective from the biographies and historical fictions I have read or listened to about the renowned King Henry VIII. It contains brief descriptions of many of the commonly known key events in his life such as his six wives and break from the Roman Catholic Church over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, but Professor Hoak focuses far more on aspects often glossed over in most accounts of Henry and those around him.
For example, Hoak details the ways that Henry and his father dedicated much time, thought, and wealth to their "media image" in order to solidify and enhance their concept of "imperial kingship." It's a unique way of explaining the glittering spectacle invested in clothing, majesty, and military pageantry associated with 16th century English monarchy. Erasmus, Thomas More, Utopia, and Thomas Cromwell nearly always appear in Henry's narrative, but Hoak actually devotes the time to explain them clearly.
I gained more understanding of King Henry and this time period than I had expected from a relatively short course which Audible offers as a free bonus for members. I considered myself quite familiar with the Tudors, and still I gained fresh impressions of their motives and actions by listening to these lectures.
October 17, 2022
24 30-minute lectures make up this Great Courses course. I picked it up from the Audible Plus catalogue, because I was also reading Sovereign, the second book in CJ Sansom's brilliant historical fiction series (Matthew Shardlake), set in Henry VIII's time. It was really interesting therefore to learn so much more about the context in which that series is set and I feel like I know Henry VIII perhaps a bit more than I would like to, he was such a brutal character! I do feel that the course had quite a male POV, I would quite like to learn more about the wives beyond who they were for Henry VIII, especially Anne Boleyn who I found quite interesting - in this, they were talked about very much from Henry's POV, with too much attention given to their appearance and clothes and sexuality for my liking, with the exception of some other stuff about Anne Boleyn in particular. And oh boy did those women have a hard time of it, not sure how I feel about the casual way in which the lecturer breezed through it all, perhaps one has to for something like this...
July 21, 2022
Starts off slow but full of really interesting material, especially about Henry’s wives. Learned a lot about them, also grace good explanation of the state of affairs with Charles V and Louis.
September 12, 2022
I will admit it was a bit odd as an English person listening to an American professor talk about Henry VIII's life and court. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but I did get into it, and Dale Hoak is a great narrator and clearly knows his stuff.
This is a "Great Courses" series that focuses on King Henry VIII and his life, wives, friends and courtiers. I'd never heard of the "Great Courses" series before, but I'm glad I found it and listened to this one (and there's so many more covering such a wide range of topics! Go see for yourself).
I love learning. As an English person I love learning about my country's history - both the good bits and the horrendous atrocities - we need to learn from history. And I learnt from this book.
As for this book, it's a great overview of Henry VIII and his life and court. The book goes into a bit of detail, but as a general starting point this is a gem. I appreciated the narrator's insight into Henry VIII, and enjoyed him sharing his opinion (which I appreciate not everybody will).
My only slightly negative point is that it's narrated towards an American audience (using the dollar as a comparison for example), but this happens so infrequently that it doesn't impact upon the enjoyment of the book.
It's a great starting point for anybody who wishes to know a bit more about the man behind the legends and myths. Worth a listen and I'm glad I did.
This is a "Great Courses" series that focuses on King Henry VIII and his life, wives, friends and courtiers. I'd never heard of the "Great Courses" series before, but I'm glad I found it and listened to this one (and there's so many more covering such a wide range of topics! Go see for yourself).
I love learning. As an English person I love learning about my country's history - both the good bits and the horrendous atrocities - we need to learn from history. And I learnt from this book.
As for this book, it's a great overview of Henry VIII and his life and court. The book goes into a bit of detail, but as a general starting point this is a gem. I appreciated the narrator's insight into Henry VIII, and enjoyed him sharing his opinion (which I appreciate not everybody will).
My only slightly negative point is that it's narrated towards an American audience (using the dollar as a comparison for example), but this happens so infrequently that it doesn't impact upon the enjoyment of the book.
It's a great starting point for anybody who wishes to know a bit more about the man behind the legends and myths. Worth a listen and I'm glad I did.
January 21, 2015
A set of lectures on Henry VIII and his age. The lecturer is engaging and knowledgeable and the course is well organized. It covers the major political events of his reign, including his six marriages, the break with Rome on ecclesiastical matters, the dissolution of the monasteries, his wars with France, the trial and execution of Thomas More, and the rise and fall of his various advisors, most notably Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell. It also discusses the importance of Renaissance humanism in Henry's England, and devotes a full lecture to the discusion of More's "Utopia".
The lectures also delve substantially into what might be called the "Political Culture" of Henrician England-- that is to say, the set of cultural assumptions, beliefs, practices, that were bound up in the practical politics of the era. This includes a great deal of discussion of the nature of the royal court and the expectations of a courtier, the importance of 'magnificence' and display, as well as an analysis of the visual, verbal, and even theatrical 'propaganda' that was produced. I had mixed reactions about this emphasis on political culture. On the one hand, I do think it's an important side of history that should be discussed-- and from the lecturer's bibliography, I get the impression that the political culture of the Tudor Court is his specialty. On the other hand, I did sometimes find myself losing interest when he would go into detailed accounts of the visual displays of luxury involved at certain diplomatic meetings, close 'readings' of paintings placed in the royal chapel, discussions on the importance for a young courtier to be able to play tennis, the costs of Wolsey's silverware and tableware etc.
Also, I suppose I should note that the lectures make virtually no mention at all of social history (e.g. how folks outside the court lived) and that discussion of economic history is generally limited to the Crown's own finances. In that regard, I feel that Robert Bucholz's "England from the Tudors to the Stuarts" (another teaching company course-on-CD) was a bit more well-rounded in its discussion.
Ultimately, I found this a reasonably interesting course, but perhaps it would be better titled "Political Culture in the Age of Henry VIII".
The lectures also delve substantially into what might be called the "Political Culture" of Henrician England-- that is to say, the set of cultural assumptions, beliefs, practices, that were bound up in the practical politics of the era. This includes a great deal of discussion of the nature of the royal court and the expectations of a courtier, the importance of 'magnificence' and display, as well as an analysis of the visual, verbal, and even theatrical 'propaganda' that was produced. I had mixed reactions about this emphasis on political culture. On the one hand, I do think it's an important side of history that should be discussed-- and from the lecturer's bibliography, I get the impression that the political culture of the Tudor Court is his specialty. On the other hand, I did sometimes find myself losing interest when he would go into detailed accounts of the visual displays of luxury involved at certain diplomatic meetings, close 'readings' of paintings placed in the royal chapel, discussions on the importance for a young courtier to be able to play tennis, the costs of Wolsey's silverware and tableware etc.
Also, I suppose I should note that the lectures make virtually no mention at all of social history (e.g. how folks outside the court lived) and that discussion of economic history is generally limited to the Crown's own finances. In that regard, I feel that Robert Bucholz's "England from the Tudors to the Stuarts" (another teaching company course-on-CD) was a bit more well-rounded in its discussion.
Ultimately, I found this a reasonably interesting course, but perhaps it would be better titled "Political Culture in the Age of Henry VIII".
June 14, 2022
I really enjoy studying the interworking's of Tudor/Elizabethan England. Prof Hoak was just great! I am sorry that this appears to be the only course he taught for the teaching company!
January 14, 2018
While there was a lot of interesting stuff in this course, the lecturer seemed, at least to me, to be a bit of a Thomas More nerd. He spent quite some time speaking about More, and while I understand that More was important in the history of that particular period, if we'd heard less about him, we would have heard more about other stuff. While we heard plenty about Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, poor Anne of Cleves didn't even get half a lecture.
The lecturer also seemed to be unable to go without punctuating many of his sentences with "uh...uh...uh..." Since I was watching the DVD lectures of this course, there was more than one occasion where I was yelling at my television, "Come on, dude! Spit it out!"
The lecturer also seemed to be unable to go without punctuating many of his sentences with "uh...uh...uh..." Since I was watching the DVD lectures of this course, there was more than one occasion where I was yelling at my television, "Come on, dude! Spit it out!"
June 27, 2022
For the most part, this 24-lecture series gave a very solid overview over the reign of Henry VIII, delving into a range of aspects both personal and political. Given the title of "The Age of...", I'd have liked some more material on the lives of ordinary people / those not closely associated with the court, as there was virtually none of that. Quite informative on the rest, though.
October 28, 2022
Good and interesting. It didn't do as much for me personally, already knowing about most of what was discussed here, and would have been more engaging with visuals alongside it. I was thinking about giving it a 3/5, but adding a star because of my familiarity with the content. Would be better for beginners, so to speak.
September 25, 2023
This lecture series really opens up the age of Henry VIII and introduces all the main players on the English Renaissance stage in his time. We cover Henry's courting of his wives and subsequent disillusionment with most of them. The legacy of his Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries are reviewed. This is a great introduction to the long reign of Henry VIII.
August 28, 2024
This is a brilliant lecture series based around the life of Henry VIII. if you’re lightning and just wanted to remind yourself what you learnt all those years back in history class or if you are new to the life and times of Henry VIII this is brilliant place to start
May 11, 2017
I am loving these historical lecture series on audio book at the moment. So much information, so much research, so well delivered. Good stuff. Well worth the effort.
December 26, 2017
Finished reading the 2nd part!
October 13, 2022
Lecture is fine, but the politics was more than I could handle.
December 18, 2024
If your into history, love lectures and conferences, and have a fascination with Tudor England- you'll enjoy this very much. I learned so much!
March 26, 2016
This is interesting, but doesnt seem to be on as high a level as many TTC great courses lectures. It seems to take a "great man" historical approach that sees history as the melodrama of the very powerful as reported in contemporary documentation. I would have preferred more insight into the experiences of ordinary people and of the state of the major institutions at the time.
March 11, 2014
Overall, I enjoyed this series and this lecturer. I liked the second half better than the first half (I thought the lectures were more interesting in the second half).
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