What do you think?
Rate this book
Sisters to the King: The Tumultuous Lives of Henry VIII's Sisters, Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France
The author of the highly acclaimed Elizabeth I and the classic Knightsbridge Woman presents an analysis of the fundamental role of Margaret, Queen of Scotland and M ary, Queen of France in the European power politics of the T udor age. '
266 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
25 people are currently reading
6960 people want to read
About the author
Maria Perry
32 books13 followersActress and writer Maria Perry was brought up in Cheshire by a grandmother who liked good diamonds and believed women's education harmed the complexion. Sent to Manchaster High School and a graduate of Somerville College, Oxford, she has had some narrow escapes.
After abandoning a career in journalism for the chorus of Jesus Christ Superstar, she wrote a biography of Elizabeth I and was invited to do PhD at Yale. Instead she wrote the shopaholic's classic Knightsbridge Woman. Captivated by Mayfair at the age of three, she is a discerning patron of Fenwick's, Fortnum's and Berry Bros & Rudd.
After abandoning a career in journalism for the chorus of Jesus Christ Superstar, she wrote a biography of Elizabeth I and was invited to do PhD at Yale. Instead she wrote the shopaholic's classic Knightsbridge Woman. Captivated by Mayfair at the age of three, she is a discerning patron of Fenwick's, Fortnum's and Berry Bros & Rudd.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
March 22, 2015
Modern-day drama enthusiasts are much interested in the marital exploits of Henry VIII. However, readers of all-things Tudor are well-acquainted with the sisters of Henry, Margaret and Mary, whom had drama of their own to contend with. Maria Perry attempts to portrait these Tudor princesses and Queens in, “The Sisters of Henry VIII: The Tumultuous Loves of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France”.
Unfortunately, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” suffers from a slow start—and by ‘slow’, I mean the first 100 pages or so drag at a snail’s pace. This is a result of Perry focusing the main strand of these early chapters not on Margaret or Mary but on Henry VIII and Tudor history, in general. Both Margaret and Mary are merely background figures who eventually get mentioned here and there. Furthermore, much of this text includes speculative “would have” and “could have” statements in which Perry projects personal assumptions into the history.
Perry also has the downfall of penning “The Sisters of Henry VIII” in a very chunky and disjointed stylistic format. Often times, the ideas are scrambled and are “all over the place”; begging for some organization. It seems Perry was unable to decide which information was related to her thesis and apparently a proper editor was absent. The prose is also unclear in cohesiveness with Perry writing in a more fictional manner one second but then jumping to an academic format the next.
Eventually, Perry finds a stronger foothold and not only gains some confidence in her writing but also focuses more on Margaret and Mary. Although this is more of a recap of historical events versus a genuine insight into the women; at least information is finally revealed and in a rather detailed manner citing primary sources and full quotes. The issue for readers well-versed on the topic is a lack of new information or debunking of any myths plus the inclusion of some historical inaccuracies.
The prominent problem in “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is Perry’s inability to hide biases towards certain figures and following the stereotypical depiction of Margaret being the crazy unloved sister while Mary is the pretty, lovely, Disney-esque Princess. This is a boxed-in unrealistic image which doesn’t present a well-rounded view of the lives and personalities of these women.
“The Sisters of Henry VIII” takes a complete withdrawal on discussing Margaret and Mary (which was minimal to begin with); and rather highlights Henry’s “Great Matter” and Anne Boleyn in the final quarter of the book. In fact, one of the chapters is titled, “The King of England’s Whore”. The sisters are hardly mentioned until suddenly Perry visits each of their deaths which receive scant and rushed coverage. Thus, the ending of “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is abrupt and not at all memorable.
Perry includes an epilogue (visiting the succession after Henry’s death), notes, genealogical table, and a section of photo plates. Notably, these photos are not glossy and are so deep black and white that they are barely decipherable.
Overall, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is a heavy disappointment. Perry barely even grazed the sisters whom are supposed to be the main topic of the pages while failing to bring them alive, at all. The writing is chunky and often times goes off-topic with a similarly chaotic pace. “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is only recommended for readers completely unfamiliar with Margaret and Mary seeking an introduction or ‘taste’. Otherwise, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is not worth a read and can be skipped.
Unfortunately, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” suffers from a slow start—and by ‘slow’, I mean the first 100 pages or so drag at a snail’s pace. This is a result of Perry focusing the main strand of these early chapters not on Margaret or Mary but on Henry VIII and Tudor history, in general. Both Margaret and Mary are merely background figures who eventually get mentioned here and there. Furthermore, much of this text includes speculative “would have” and “could have” statements in which Perry projects personal assumptions into the history.
Perry also has the downfall of penning “The Sisters of Henry VIII” in a very chunky and disjointed stylistic format. Often times, the ideas are scrambled and are “all over the place”; begging for some organization. It seems Perry was unable to decide which information was related to her thesis and apparently a proper editor was absent. The prose is also unclear in cohesiveness with Perry writing in a more fictional manner one second but then jumping to an academic format the next.
Eventually, Perry finds a stronger foothold and not only gains some confidence in her writing but also focuses more on Margaret and Mary. Although this is more of a recap of historical events versus a genuine insight into the women; at least information is finally revealed and in a rather detailed manner citing primary sources and full quotes. The issue for readers well-versed on the topic is a lack of new information or debunking of any myths plus the inclusion of some historical inaccuracies.
The prominent problem in “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is Perry’s inability to hide biases towards certain figures and following the stereotypical depiction of Margaret being the crazy unloved sister while Mary is the pretty, lovely, Disney-esque Princess. This is a boxed-in unrealistic image which doesn’t present a well-rounded view of the lives and personalities of these women.
“The Sisters of Henry VIII” takes a complete withdrawal on discussing Margaret and Mary (which was minimal to begin with); and rather highlights Henry’s “Great Matter” and Anne Boleyn in the final quarter of the book. In fact, one of the chapters is titled, “The King of England’s Whore”. The sisters are hardly mentioned until suddenly Perry visits each of their deaths which receive scant and rushed coverage. Thus, the ending of “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is abrupt and not at all memorable.
Perry includes an epilogue (visiting the succession after Henry’s death), notes, genealogical table, and a section of photo plates. Notably, these photos are not glossy and are so deep black and white that they are barely decipherable.
Overall, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is a heavy disappointment. Perry barely even grazed the sisters whom are supposed to be the main topic of the pages while failing to bring them alive, at all. The writing is chunky and often times goes off-topic with a similarly chaotic pace. “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is only recommended for readers completely unfamiliar with Margaret and Mary seeking an introduction or ‘taste’. Otherwise, “The Sisters of Henry VIII” is not worth a read and can be skipped.
dnf
October 16, 2018I can't do it anymore. This started out fine but just ended up so mind-numbingly boring. The author comes up with these ideas that she has no evidence for, and the chapters are not linked by anything but chronology. The lives of the two sisters are not linked together at all in this biography, and almost feels like two biographies smushed together. I wasn't enjoying this, so I am going to leave it there.
August 12, 2016
Sisters to the King is a biography of Margaret and Mary Tudor, Henry VIII's sisters.
Margaret and Mary are not very popular in non fiction or historical novels. Their infamous brother and his wives are much more featured. However, their absence is a pity, because both of them lead tumultuous (as the title says) and scandalous lives; and both proved themselves to be very modern women, always ready to fight for their rights and their own happiness.
Perry discusses Mary's and Margaret's lives not separately, but chronologically. I think this is an excellent choice: I really enjoyed seeing how their stories interweaved, not only with each other but also with Henry's, and how their lives affected one another. This kind of narration also made me want to keep reading, because while I was reading about one sister I also kept thinking about what the other was doing at the same time.
Perry's book is educative and enjoyable for the most part. I am quite informed on Mary's life (I have been interested in her for a while), but I still learned some new facts about her. On the contrary, I knew nothing about Margaret, so I was very happy to learn more about her. I had no idea she had such a hard and eventful life! Sadly, after a while I found a little difficult to follow her vicissitudes because I have no knowledge of Scottish history, and I got a little confused with all the Scots lords. A genealogical table would have helped immensely, but I can see it would have been difficult to include everyone of importance.
Despite the clever structure, the clear writing and the promising, fascinating first half, the book started to lose me a little after Mary's marriage with Brandon. This was because in the second part the focus is mainly on Henry's divorce from Katherine and marriage to Anne. This has nothing to do with Mary and Margaret, also because we do not know much about their reactions to it. We know that Mary disliked Anne, but a couple of pages about it would have been sufficient. Instead, Perry spends entire chapters on Henry's great matter, and I honestly cannot see why. I know it is an important topic, but it is already featured on so many books, and it did not make much sense here.
To be honest, Henry is overly present in the whole book: but, while in the beginning he did not overshadow his sisters, in the second half I had the feeling he had become the main character of the biography. Possibly, Perry did not have many informations about Mary's and Margaret's final years, and decided to focus more on Henry to prolong her narration. In my opinion, however, a shorter book, but more focused on the Tudor sisters, would have been better.
Margaret and Mary are not very popular in non fiction or historical novels. Their infamous brother and his wives are much more featured. However, their absence is a pity, because both of them lead tumultuous (as the title says) and scandalous lives; and both proved themselves to be very modern women, always ready to fight for their rights and their own happiness.
Perry discusses Mary's and Margaret's lives not separately, but chronologically. I think this is an excellent choice: I really enjoyed seeing how their stories interweaved, not only with each other but also with Henry's, and how their lives affected one another. This kind of narration also made me want to keep reading, because while I was reading about one sister I also kept thinking about what the other was doing at the same time.
Perry's book is educative and enjoyable for the most part. I am quite informed on Mary's life (I have been interested in her for a while), but I still learned some new facts about her. On the contrary, I knew nothing about Margaret, so I was very happy to learn more about her. I had no idea she had such a hard and eventful life! Sadly, after a while I found a little difficult to follow her vicissitudes because I have no knowledge of Scottish history, and I got a little confused with all the Scots lords. A genealogical table would have helped immensely, but I can see it would have been difficult to include everyone of importance.
Despite the clever structure, the clear writing and the promising, fascinating first half, the book started to lose me a little after Mary's marriage with Brandon. This was because in the second part the focus is mainly on Henry's divorce from Katherine and marriage to Anne. This has nothing to do with Mary and Margaret, also because we do not know much about their reactions to it. We know that Mary disliked Anne, but a couple of pages about it would have been sufficient. Instead, Perry spends entire chapters on Henry's great matter, and I honestly cannot see why. I know it is an important topic, but it is already featured on so many books, and it did not make much sense here.
To be honest, Henry is overly present in the whole book: but, while in the beginning he did not overshadow his sisters, in the second half I had the feeling he had become the main character of the biography. Possibly, Perry did not have many informations about Mary's and Margaret's final years, and decided to focus more on Henry to prolong her narration. In my opinion, however, a shorter book, but more focused on the Tudor sisters, would have been better.
February 8, 2010
Kind of dry but the detail is fantastic. She goes into who spent what amount of money for what amount of clothes or education.
It really goes into detail about what everyday family life was like for the Henry VII his queen Elizabeth of York and their children.
I am surprised by what she has uncovered vs what other historical authors have written.
It really goes into detail about what everyday family life was like for the Henry VII his queen Elizabeth of York and their children.
I am surprised by what she has uncovered vs what other historical authors have written.
August 9, 2015
When focusing on the Tudor period, we tend to focus largely on Henry VIII and his Six Wives, followed by a quick dash of Edward and Mary, before focusing on Elizabeth I and the Armada, plots with Mary, Queen of Scots, and various suitors for her hand in marriage, particularly that of Lord Robert Dudley. Henry's two sisters- yes two, ignore the TV series the Tudors- tend to get overlooked, apart from a little mention here and there. When in fact, they actually played a huge part in the politics of the day. With Margaret, Henry's older sister, marrying the King of Scotland- who was killed in the Battle of Flodden in 1513- and from whom the Royal Family of the United Kingdom of Great and Northern Ireland are descended from today. With Mary, Henry's younger sister, marrying first the ageing King of France, and then Henry's close friend Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, a love match.
I must admit, before I started I was a little apprehensive. How an earth can you do a biography on two women? Surely the narrative will be hard to follow, as it will keep switching backwards and forth with every chapter. Needless to say, my concerns were instantly brushed away. Maria Perry does a truly remarkable job at keeping the narrative flow without it getting disruptive at all. In fact, it works perfectly because it shows how entwined their lives were, and how each decision affected the other- for example, Henry had to tread carefully with the regency in Scotland which had deposed Margaret from power, so that it did not affect Mary who was living in seclusion in Paris following the death of old King Louis. It is fair to say that Margaret is the more interesting of the two sisters, and a TV drama/Hollywood movie based on her life is long overdue. Margaret really should receive more credit in history with how she tried to establish her regency in Scotland following the death of King James, and how she was constantly trying to keep peace between England and Scotland. I found it particularly interesting learning more about Scottish politics in the 16th century. Although Mary herself is far from dull.
Margaret and Mary's descendants continued to play an active role in history. From Mary's granddaughter Lady Jane Grey- the tragic Queen who only ruled for a few days. To Margaret's granddaughter Mary, Queen of Scots- who spent years in captivity in England before Elizabeth I was finally convinced to sign her death warrant. It is Margaret's descendants who have sat on the throne of Scotland since 1513, England since 1603, and the United Kingdom since 1707. Ironically though, Queen Elizabeth II is descended from Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon- through their granddaughter Lady Katherine Grey. Funny how it is through Henry's sisters that the Royal Family are descended from, and not Henry himself.
I must admit, before I started I was a little apprehensive. How an earth can you do a biography on two women? Surely the narrative will be hard to follow, as it will keep switching backwards and forth with every chapter. Needless to say, my concerns were instantly brushed away. Maria Perry does a truly remarkable job at keeping the narrative flow without it getting disruptive at all. In fact, it works perfectly because it shows how entwined their lives were, and how each decision affected the other- for example, Henry had to tread carefully with the regency in Scotland which had deposed Margaret from power, so that it did not affect Mary who was living in seclusion in Paris following the death of old King Louis. It is fair to say that Margaret is the more interesting of the two sisters, and a TV drama/Hollywood movie based on her life is long overdue. Margaret really should receive more credit in history with how she tried to establish her regency in Scotland following the death of King James, and how she was constantly trying to keep peace between England and Scotland. I found it particularly interesting learning more about Scottish politics in the 16th century. Although Mary herself is far from dull.
Margaret and Mary's descendants continued to play an active role in history. From Mary's granddaughter Lady Jane Grey- the tragic Queen who only ruled for a few days. To Margaret's granddaughter Mary, Queen of Scots- who spent years in captivity in England before Elizabeth I was finally convinced to sign her death warrant. It is Margaret's descendants who have sat on the throne of Scotland since 1513, England since 1603, and the United Kingdom since 1707. Ironically though, Queen Elizabeth II is descended from Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon- through their granddaughter Lady Katherine Grey. Funny how it is through Henry's sisters that the Royal Family are descended from, and not Henry himself.
December 19, 2009
When I picked up this book, even though I've read a lot about Henry VIII and his wives and children, I had no idea his sisters' lives had been so interesting. Margaret and Mary were both strong, confident, self-sufficient women, sometimes a little out of place in the sixteenth-century world.
The research that Maria Perry did for this book is amazing, and she tells the story of both sisters going from one to the other in an interesting and easy to comprehend way.
Only two things bothered me - one, the lack of years (sometimes it was easy to get lost when the month was mentioned, and not the year) and how, after 200 pages, the author does what I honestly thought she would do from the beginning: focus the story of Henry VIII and see his sisters as mere supporting characters. When Anne Boleyn appears and Henry starts his divorce procedings from Katherine of Aragon, Margaret and Mary fall into the back, and their final years run really fast without a lot of information. Otherwise, really great book with lots of interesting information.
The research that Maria Perry did for this book is amazing, and she tells the story of both sisters going from one to the other in an interesting and easy to comprehend way.
Only two things bothered me - one, the lack of years (sometimes it was easy to get lost when the month was mentioned, and not the year) and how, after 200 pages, the author does what I honestly thought she would do from the beginning: focus the story of Henry VIII and see his sisters as mere supporting characters. When Anne Boleyn appears and Henry starts his divorce procedings from Katherine of Aragon, Margaret and Mary fall into the back, and their final years run really fast without a lot of information. Otherwise, really great book with lots of interesting information.
October 24, 2010
This could have been an interesting read. However, I had to stop reading it a couple of chapters in. The writing was all over the place, it had no flow or chronology, and the main character so far is Henry VIII.
Perhaps the publishers received the author's notes for a book and mistakenly printed those? Because at the moment what we appear to have is a book about the cost of clothes, what Henry VIII's childhood was like, Margaret Beaufort and her struggle for the throne, a few things about the Wars of the Roses and Prince Arthur and Katherine of Aragon. Nothing much really on Margaret and Mary's upbringing, only mentioned if Henry happens to be around. Events don't happen in any order; in some paragraphs we even go back and forwards in time!
I think this is one book that will be returned to the library unread. I would rather just look the Tudor sisters up on Wikipedia - there would be more information there than in this book, judging on the other reviews I have read.
Perhaps the publishers received the author's notes for a book and mistakenly printed those? Because at the moment what we appear to have is a book about the cost of clothes, what Henry VIII's childhood was like, Margaret Beaufort and her struggle for the throne, a few things about the Wars of the Roses and Prince Arthur and Katherine of Aragon. Nothing much really on Margaret and Mary's upbringing, only mentioned if Henry happens to be around. Events don't happen in any order; in some paragraphs we even go back and forwards in time!
I think this is one book that will be returned to the library unread. I would rather just look the Tudor sisters up on Wikipedia - there would be more information there than in this book, judging on the other reviews I have read.
March 13, 2017
I very much enjoyed how detailed the descriptions in this book were. Also, the author mostly let the subjects speak for themselves, which seems to be a rarity in biographies, where authors play amateur psychologist and constantly impose their own thoughts/feelings. My only complaint would be that too much time is spent on Henry VII himself, particularly the divorce from Katharine of Aragon. I felt that by doing that, Mary and Margaret were pushed to the sidelines.
abandoned
February 11, 2017I'm sure this is a good book if you like this sort of detail ... I just don't have the patience for it.
January 8, 2025
Maria Perry's Sisters of Henry VIII is a detailed exploration of the lives of two often-overlooked Tudor figures: Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, and Mary Tudor, Queen of France (later Duchess of Sussex). This book brings the two women out of the shadow of their famous brother and with extensive research and accessible prose, Perry reveals their resilience in the face of immense challenges, and the crossing of their personal wishes and political/family responsibilities.
Once in a while Perry falls into speculation but does utilize the surviving correspondence between the siblings well (there was affection and tension). For this reviewer, it often seemed that the focus was on their relationship with Henry VIII rather than their Lives, as implied in the subtitle, and their achievements (survival not only in their domestic sphere but also on the international political scene, being the main one amidst their ambitions).
Overall, a good read and one that will educate it’s readers and maybe, generate an interest to delve further into the lives of these two fascinating women.
Once in a while Perry falls into speculation but does utilize the surviving correspondence between the siblings well (there was affection and tension). For this reviewer, it often seemed that the focus was on their relationship with Henry VIII rather than their Lives, as implied in the subtitle, and their achievements (survival not only in their domestic sphere but also on the international political scene, being the main one amidst their ambitions).
Overall, a good read and one that will educate it’s readers and maybe, generate an interest to delve further into the lives of these two fascinating women.
June 20, 2017
3.5 stars
This is a nonfiction account of the lives of Henry VIII's sisters. Margaret, his older sister, was married to James IV of Scotland. She moved there and married him at 13 years old. He died young, and Margaret went on to marry two more times. Henry's younger sister, Mary, was married off to the much older King of France, Louis XII. They were only married for a few months before he died, giving Mary a chance to return to England and marry the man she loved, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
I've only read a little bit of fiction about Mary, but nothing at all about Margaret till now, so this was interesting to hear what happened in Margaret's life after she left England (it was not an easy life for her). The book was good.
This is a nonfiction account of the lives of Henry VIII's sisters. Margaret, his older sister, was married to James IV of Scotland. She moved there and married him at 13 years old. He died young, and Margaret went on to marry two more times. Henry's younger sister, Mary, was married off to the much older King of France, Louis XII. They were only married for a few months before he died, giving Mary a chance to return to England and marry the man she loved, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
I've only read a little bit of fiction about Mary, but nothing at all about Margaret till now, so this was interesting to hear what happened in Margaret's life after she left England (it was not an easy life for her). The book was good.
August 24, 2025
There IS a great deal of minutiae to get through -- especially about court etiquette & ceremonials -- but it is the only real book I've read to actually focus on the lives of the sister's of Henry VIII and their rather forgotten role in all of the Tudor melodrama...and it certainly lives up to what it says on the cover. I did enjoy the more in-depth look into the court & family life of Henry VII...another Tudor who is eclipsed by the fame of his son and granddaughters.
August 15, 2019
mi è piaciuto, dà un sacco di informazioni sui passi che mi risultavano un po' oscuri. Molte descrizioni dei colori dei vestiti.. un bel ripasso di storia inglese
September 15, 2014
A very enlightening and interesting biography.
The lives of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France, the two surviving sisters of Henry VIII is tumultuous indeed. Both sisters share their brother's characteristic of loving wholly and passionately as both choose their second husbands for love despite the consequences.
Perry is good switching from one sister to the other, informing the reader of those they come into contact with and certain events and displays. She shows the energetic women of the Tudor family and their fascinating life.
I knew little of Henry's sisters, instead focusing on his wives but his sisters were equally fascinating and helped create a picture of the court of that time and members of the family overlooked often, like Margaret of Beaufort and Henry Fitzroy.
It was a good read, very informative but with a touch of story - the scene is definitely set with descriptions of clothes, feasts and balls. It chronicles quite well too and the narrative shows the two ladies during each milestone of life.
Definitely one I'd recommend to history lovers.
The lives of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France, the two surviving sisters of Henry VIII is tumultuous indeed. Both sisters share their brother's characteristic of loving wholly and passionately as both choose their second husbands for love despite the consequences.
Perry is good switching from one sister to the other, informing the reader of those they come into contact with and certain events and displays. She shows the energetic women of the Tudor family and their fascinating life.
I knew little of Henry's sisters, instead focusing on his wives but his sisters were equally fascinating and helped create a picture of the court of that time and members of the family overlooked often, like Margaret of Beaufort and Henry Fitzroy.
It was a good read, very informative but with a touch of story - the scene is definitely set with descriptions of clothes, feasts and balls. It chronicles quite well too and the narrative shows the two ladies during each milestone of life.
Definitely one I'd recommend to history lovers.
April 14, 2014
This book jumped around quite a bit. It was hard to follow at times. I enjoyed what i read about the sisters as I did not know much about Margaret, but much of the story is about Henry VIII and his" great matter" trying to get divorced from Katherine to marry Anne. Much of the information I already knew since I had already read pretty many books on him. I'm not sure if more information cannot be found on the sisters, but I would have like more information on his sisters and less about his great matter.
overall, a decent read if you don't know much about his sisters-just don't expect to learn a ton of stuff about them.
overall, a decent read if you don't know much about his sisters-just don't expect to learn a ton of stuff about them.
December 6, 2012
This is a bad book! And I don't say so lightly. To begin with, it is not well written. Whole paragraphs seem to be random notes. There are repetitions and the order of events can be problematic for the reader.
Then, it's the problem of the two subjects. This is definitely not the biography of Henry's sisters but of Henry himself with references to his sisters! We get for example a very detailed account for the preparations for the Field of the Cloth of Gold, but learn almost nothing about Mary's participation in it!
Then, it's the problem of the two subjects. This is definitely not the biography of Henry's sisters but of Henry himself with references to his sisters! We get for example a very detailed account for the preparations for the Field of the Cloth of Gold, but learn almost nothing about Mary's participation in it!
March 22, 2011
Mary and Margaret had such interesting lives. Sadly, this biography couldn't convey that at all. Dull in the extreme.
August 20, 2022
Interesting but not enough about the sisters. 3.5
August 27, 2017
I found this to be a book that was able to keep my interest even though, in general, I am not a huge reader of books about the history of the Royal family from the 15th & 16th centuries. It was about Margaret and Mary, the sisters of Henry VIII, who was King of England.
Margaret was the Henry’s older sister, whose father Henry VII married her off to the King of Scotland, James IV. A with most Royal marriages, the Princess was married for the sake of England, in trying to strengthen an alliance with Scotland. The first three years of the marriage was a “social” one, as Margaret was only 13, and no offspring were produced. Eventually, the Queen became pregnant with, and eventually bore a son in 1507. Unfortunately, the child passed away at around age one, while Queen Margaret was again pregnant. The second died the same day as she was born, and Margaret became ill. Finally recovering, she became pregnant a third time. During her pregnancy, her husband, King James IV, went off to fight against the English due to the death of a Scottish sea captain and the apparent encroachment of England on Scottish borderlands. James was killed in action during the fight, and Margaret became a widow. 6 months later, she gave birth to James V, who would eventually become King of Scotland. After the James’ death, Margaret remarried to Earl of Angus. This caused a major uproar throughout Scotland as he was a member of the Douglas family, and the Douglas family was distrusted and hated by other power families in Scotland. Essentially, this marriage brought about a civil war in Scotland, in that Margaret lost her base of power and had to live in England for a while. Her second marriage was not any better. The Earl and Margaret had a child who eventually died while under the care of the Duke of Albany, who was also interested in the throne of Scotland. The Earl left Margaret, (though fought against a divorce from her) and started to live with his mistress while collecting and keeping rents that were due to Margaret. Compounding the frustration of the Queen was that her brother Henry VIII, who became king upon their father’s death, sided with her husband.
Mary was Henry’s younger sister, who he married off to King Louis VII of France, also in order to gain an alliance with a former enemy. Given that the King of France was quite old at the time, Mary secured a deal from Henry stating that she would go through with this providing that she would be allowed to marry for love after Louis VII died. Henry acquiesced, and with a huge amount of ceremony, Mary became Queen of France. The King started to dismiss her entourage and the people she brought with her to be part of her household and replaced them with his own people. Needless to say, the marriage was not altogether a happy one, in part due to this along with the vast age difference. Having such a young wife seemed to invigorate Louis VII for a period of time, though it was not long before he died. Mary caused an uproar both in France and England when she secretly wed Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk. Though the Duke had promised the King that he would not marry her without his permission, he did just that when Mary told Charles that if he did not marry her then, he would forgo his chance of ever doing so. To that end, they wed without Royal approval, which infuriated Henry VIII because he considered oath breaking to be one of the worst crimes that could be committed, akin to treason. They had a few children, and stayed together until Mary’s death in 1533.
This book about the sisters was pretty good. For me, it kept my interest throughout its pages even though I am not usually a fan of 15th & 16th century European history. The author does write about King Henry VII & Henry VIII, especially the latter’s divorce from Queen Katherine. However, it is written to flesh out the reader’s understanding of European politics 500 years ago, and how the political climate affected the two Queens. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy history, especially 15th & 16th century European history.
Margaret was the Henry’s older sister, whose father Henry VII married her off to the King of Scotland, James IV. A with most Royal marriages, the Princess was married for the sake of England, in trying to strengthen an alliance with Scotland. The first three years of the marriage was a “social” one, as Margaret was only 13, and no offspring were produced. Eventually, the Queen became pregnant with, and eventually bore a son in 1507. Unfortunately, the child passed away at around age one, while Queen Margaret was again pregnant. The second died the same day as she was born, and Margaret became ill. Finally recovering, she became pregnant a third time. During her pregnancy, her husband, King James IV, went off to fight against the English due to the death of a Scottish sea captain and the apparent encroachment of England on Scottish borderlands. James was killed in action during the fight, and Margaret became a widow. 6 months later, she gave birth to James V, who would eventually become King of Scotland. After the James’ death, Margaret remarried to Earl of Angus. This caused a major uproar throughout Scotland as he was a member of the Douglas family, and the Douglas family was distrusted and hated by other power families in Scotland. Essentially, this marriage brought about a civil war in Scotland, in that Margaret lost her base of power and had to live in England for a while. Her second marriage was not any better. The Earl and Margaret had a child who eventually died while under the care of the Duke of Albany, who was also interested in the throne of Scotland. The Earl left Margaret, (though fought against a divorce from her) and started to live with his mistress while collecting and keeping rents that were due to Margaret. Compounding the frustration of the Queen was that her brother Henry VIII, who became king upon their father’s death, sided with her husband.
Mary was Henry’s younger sister, who he married off to King Louis VII of France, also in order to gain an alliance with a former enemy. Given that the King of France was quite old at the time, Mary secured a deal from Henry stating that she would go through with this providing that she would be allowed to marry for love after Louis VII died. Henry acquiesced, and with a huge amount of ceremony, Mary became Queen of France. The King started to dismiss her entourage and the people she brought with her to be part of her household and replaced them with his own people. Needless to say, the marriage was not altogether a happy one, in part due to this along with the vast age difference. Having such a young wife seemed to invigorate Louis VII for a period of time, though it was not long before he died. Mary caused an uproar both in France and England when she secretly wed Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk. Though the Duke had promised the King that he would not marry her without his permission, he did just that when Mary told Charles that if he did not marry her then, he would forgo his chance of ever doing so. To that end, they wed without Royal approval, which infuriated Henry VIII because he considered oath breaking to be one of the worst crimes that could be committed, akin to treason. They had a few children, and stayed together until Mary’s death in 1533.
This book about the sisters was pretty good. For me, it kept my interest throughout its pages even though I am not usually a fan of 15th & 16th century European history. The author does write about King Henry VII & Henry VIII, especially the latter’s divorce from Queen Katherine. However, it is written to flesh out the reader’s understanding of European politics 500 years ago, and how the political climate affected the two Queens. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy history, especially 15th & 16th century European history.
August 7, 2021
*No spoiler warning - it's plain history people, no point warning of spoilers when this happened 500 years ago!*
As an avid Tudor fan, I found this book fascinating. I think a lot of us can agree that we know tonnes about Henry VIII, but his sisters? Not a clue. Before I read this book the only information I knew about Henry's sisters was from the show The Tudors, which let me tell you favors unnecessary sex scenes over basic historical facts. Although, I will give them brownie points for casting Henry Cavill as Charles Brandon. That man is a god.
Through Perry's book, it's easy to see that Henry was not the only dramatic child of the Tudor family. I mean, they all were, every last one! Arthur tied tragically at 15, a pretty dramatic exit for the kingdom's heir (a fate that would be replicated with Henry VIII's son Edward VI - how ironic that Henry's long desired son wouldn't be the great monarch his father envisioned him to be? *cough* Elizabeth I *cough*); Henry, as well know, lived a pretty infamous life; Margaret was repeatedly overthrown and reinstated as Regent of Scotland, fighting to preserve the kingdom for her son James V; and Mary of France, briefly the beautiful young queen of France, after her elderly husband's death ran off with the handsome Charles Brandon, a story fit for a romantic novel. Their other siblings, Elizabeth, Edmund and Katherine, all of whom died in infancy, would undoubtedly have led dramatic lives if they had survived to adulthood.
I think it's a shame Henry's sisters aren't as talked about or discussed as their brother. They were both monarchs in their own rights, despite only reigning briefly, the daughters of a king, brothers to a king, and mother to a king, in the case of Margaret. They both took their destinies into their own hands and married for love, after their first marriages were arranged for the sake of political alliances. And, in the end, fate was kind to them, unlike the vile Henry VIII. Through her second marriage, Mary of France created a beautiful family and died loved and treasured by them all. Through her surviving son James V, Margaret of Scotland's great-grandson James VI of Scotland became James I of England when he ascended to the throne after his cousin Elizabeth I's death in 1603.
Therefore, in the end, despite the Tudors so determined to father sons to carry on their legacy, in the end it was the girls that reigned triumphant. In the case of Henry VIII, the man so obsessed in fathering a son he went through six wives to do it, had his legacy end in the triumphant and incredible Elizabeth I. And for the Tudor family altogether, their descendent ascended to both the Scottish and English thrones thanks to Margaret, who was undoubtedly viewed as just another pawn to marry off for political alliances, not knowing she was their real chance of continuing the Tudor dynasty, tied into the Stuart royal family of Scotland.
As an avid Tudor fan, I found this book fascinating. I think a lot of us can agree that we know tonnes about Henry VIII, but his sisters? Not a clue. Before I read this book the only information I knew about Henry's sisters was from the show The Tudors, which let me tell you favors unnecessary sex scenes over basic historical facts. Although, I will give them brownie points for casting Henry Cavill as Charles Brandon. That man is a god.
Through Perry's book, it's easy to see that Henry was not the only dramatic child of the Tudor family. I mean, they all were, every last one! Arthur tied tragically at 15, a pretty dramatic exit for the kingdom's heir (a fate that would be replicated with Henry VIII's son Edward VI - how ironic that Henry's long desired son wouldn't be the great monarch his father envisioned him to be? *cough* Elizabeth I *cough*); Henry, as well know, lived a pretty infamous life; Margaret was repeatedly overthrown and reinstated as Regent of Scotland, fighting to preserve the kingdom for her son James V; and Mary of France, briefly the beautiful young queen of France, after her elderly husband's death ran off with the handsome Charles Brandon, a story fit for a romantic novel. Their other siblings, Elizabeth, Edmund and Katherine, all of whom died in infancy, would undoubtedly have led dramatic lives if they had survived to adulthood.
I think it's a shame Henry's sisters aren't as talked about or discussed as their brother. They were both monarchs in their own rights, despite only reigning briefly, the daughters of a king, brothers to a king, and mother to a king, in the case of Margaret. They both took their destinies into their own hands and married for love, after their first marriages were arranged for the sake of political alliances. And, in the end, fate was kind to them, unlike the vile Henry VIII. Through her second marriage, Mary of France created a beautiful family and died loved and treasured by them all. Through her surviving son James V, Margaret of Scotland's great-grandson James VI of Scotland became James I of England when he ascended to the throne after his cousin Elizabeth I's death in 1603.
Therefore, in the end, despite the Tudors so determined to father sons to carry on their legacy, in the end it was the girls that reigned triumphant. In the case of Henry VIII, the man so obsessed in fathering a son he went through six wives to do it, had his legacy end in the triumphant and incredible Elizabeth I. And for the Tudor family altogether, their descendent ascended to both the Scottish and English thrones thanks to Margaret, who was undoubtedly viewed as just another pawn to marry off for political alliances, not knowing she was their real chance of continuing the Tudor dynasty, tied into the Stuart royal family of Scotland.
March 5, 2025
An interesting look at the sisters of Henry VIII. Margaret Tudor and her younger sister, Mary Tudor, are not much discussed when it comes to the history of their illustrious family. Both made spectacular first marriages: one to the King of Scotland and one to the King of France. Their subsequent unions were the causes of many headaches for their brother.
It's great to read about these two royal women, but this felt like a triad biography. Indeed, their brother Henry VIII received just as much (if not a little more) treatment as his sisters. We are given full and detailed accounts of his divorce trial, which saw him repudiate his first wife Catherine of Aragon. One wonders why. Neither sister was involved in the case. Looking back, it seems that the inclusion of many of the events featuring Henry VIII was filler information. This not very long book would've been much shorter without it.
That being said, it's a worthwhile addition to Tudor history books and an intriguing look at the courts of France and Scotland as they related to Henry VIII's sisters.
It's great to read about these two royal women, but this felt like a triad biography. Indeed, their brother Henry VIII received just as much (if not a little more) treatment as his sisters. We are given full and detailed accounts of his divorce trial, which saw him repudiate his first wife Catherine of Aragon. One wonders why. Neither sister was involved in the case. Looking back, it seems that the inclusion of many of the events featuring Henry VIII was filler information. This not very long book would've been much shorter without it.
That being said, it's a worthwhile addition to Tudor history books and an intriguing look at the courts of France and Scotland as they related to Henry VIII's sisters.
January 17, 2018
Though I have read extensively about Henry VIII and his daughters, his sisters, Mary of France and Margaret of Scotland, were largely unknowns. I was excited to get my hands on this book at a hospital sale; that was the last of the excitement. Alison Weir is a Tudor historian who breathes life into the personages about whom she writes. This book felt as though Perry had compiled 224 of chronological facts and proceeded to simply write them down, one by one. I feel as though I gained some insight into these women's lives, but not enough to recompense for the tedium.
December 4, 2019
Eminently readable it might be, but there is far too much padding. Detailed lists of clothes, banquets and tournaments distract from the narrative. Furthermore for most of the last quarter of the book Mary and Margaret are sidelined as Perry goes over the familiar ground of the King's Great Matter. Neither woman really emerges as distinct personality, but it would have made a good book of some 150 pages or so. And I am now officially fed up of the Tudors.
October 31, 2024
The older I get, the more history interests me. Not quite sure why!
This book brings you back to an era which I imagine was difficult to live in. Female royalty seem to be just pawns of their male relatives. Mary and Margaret were no different.
Both lived tragic lives and Henry VIII didn’t help. At times because of so many different characters (many called Mary!) this book can be quite confusing. Certainly told be a lot about people I had never actually heard of!
This book brings you back to an era which I imagine was difficult to live in. Female royalty seem to be just pawns of their male relatives. Mary and Margaret were no different.
Both lived tragic lives and Henry VIII didn’t help. At times because of so many different characters (many called Mary!) this book can be quite confusing. Certainly told be a lot about people I had never actually heard of!
January 27, 2018
A double introductive biography to Margaret and Mary Tudor, the sisters of Henry VIII. This generation really had tumultuous marital lives! But it was quite interesting to read. I think some background knowledge in Scottish and French history is required to understand fully the impact of Margaret and Mary's marriages, but it's worth the read.
The writing was pleasant.
The writing was pleasant.
December 14, 2018
Interesting. I liked the way the author told what was happening in the life of one sister and then covered what was happening over the same period of time with the other sister.
Of course, Henry VIII did loom large and the last 50 pages (1/6 of the book) dealt with his attempt to divorce Katherine, woo and wed Anne and produce a son and heir.
Of course, Henry VIII did loom large and the last 50 pages (1/6 of the book) dealt with his attempt to divorce Katherine, woo and wed Anne and produce a son and heir.
June 21, 2020
As the cover blurp suggests, "Sisters to the king" really is a very readable experience. The only negative I could point out is that often times events are chaotically presented. This has clearly been done in order to preserve the narrative as chapters mostly focus on either Margaret or Mary, but it becomes a little confusing towards the end, which unfortunatelly comes off as rushed.
March 12, 2022
I didn’t find this book boring at all. I’ve read many books on the Tudors but this book helped me to understand the context of Henry VIII’s reign. I especially enjoyed all the delail in describing the ceremonies and costumes that accompanied the events. I was so happy to discover a used British version in a second hand store.
September 27, 2024
As a first time reader of anything regarding Henry’s sisters, this book isn’t bad! I loved learning about their early lives. I do wish the author had focused a bit less on Henry, Anne, and Katherine. The book would have been shorter, but it would have been perfect if it was kept as much to his sisters as possible. Over all, great for someone just beginning to learn!
June 19, 2025
I felt like this book title was a little deceptive. I fully anticipated there be mention of King Henry and his story as Margaret and Mary are his sisters and their lives are woven together HOWEVER the book is actually about King Henry with mentioned of his sisters sprinkled in. In my opinion this book was a missed opportunity of sharing more about the lives of Margaret and Mary.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews