Items related to Henry: Virtuous Prince and Model of a Tyrant
How and why did Henry VIII turn from a glamorous Renaissance prince into this country's greatest tyrant? David Starkey's magesterial concluding biography, published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne, tells this remarkable, bloodthirsty story. When Henry VIII came to throne in 1509, he represented fresh hope to a nation still reeling from the bloody Wars of the Roses. Not yet eighteen, the new king had already distinguished himself as a scholar, musician and athlete. So how did this glamorous young Renaissance prince become this country's greatest tyrant? It began with a longing for stability. Desperate for a son to cement his claim to the throne, Henry quickly became frustrated by the lack of a male heir from his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. His impatience increased after he became infatuated with the beautiful Anne Boleyn. When Anne refused to become his mistress, a desperate Henry was forced to take measures more extreme than anything previously imagined and that would set the course of British history for the next 500 years. Forbidden by the Catholic Church to have his marriage annulled, Henry ordered his lifelong friend Thomas More to implement religious changes that would allow the besotted king to remarry. It was a move that would have fateful consequences for all involved. More's loyalty to the Catholic Church led to his execution, while the establishment of the Church of England catapulted Henry to the height of his personal power. Catherine was dismissed from the royal bed, Anne was ushered in, and so began the bloody cycle of marriage, divorce and execution for Henry is still remembered today. And yet behind this brutal history was a man deeply traumatised by bitter divorce and the abandonment of the principles he once held dear. David Starkey's magisterial concluding biography of this most complex of British kings, published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne, tells the bloodstained story of his remarkable shift in character - from humanist prince to all-powerful despot - during one of the most vivid and significant periods of British history.
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Review:
Praise for 'Henry: Virtuous Prince': This book is Starkey's masterpiece. It combines the populist touch with deep insights of scholarship.' John Guy, Sunday Times 'Excellent...the really crucial events in the history of the British Monarchy since the Middle Ages are assessed with authority, wisdom and wit...This is Starkey at his fluent and entertaining best.' Sunday Telegraph 'It is brilliant, beady-eyed history, and every page of it has an intimate fascination...Starkey has eschewed the easy wisdom of hindsight...his strength is that he questions everything...he seeks fresh evidence...his writing is uncluttered and conversational, and he cuts through the back-story...with grace, clarity and wit...accessible and entertaining' Guardian 'Starkey has the mind of an historian but the eye of a court painter.' Peter Ackroyd, The Times
Synopsis:
How and why did Henry VIII turn from a glamorous Renaissance prince into this country's greatest tyrant? David Starkey's magesterial concluding biography, published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne, tells this remarkable, bloodthirsty story. As a young prince, Henry distinguished himself as an accomplished author, poet and musician. A true man of the Renaissance, his shift in character to an all-powerful tyrant is one of the most vivid and significant aspects of British history. Frustrated by the lack of a male heir, King Henry's impatience with his wife, Catherine of Aragon, only increased after he became infatuated with the beautiful Anne Boleyn. Anne's refusal to become his mistress led to a divorce that set the course of British history for the next 500 years, and catapulted the King to the height of his personal power. Forbidden by the Church to have his marriage annulled, Henry ordered his lifelong friend, Thomas More, to implement his wishes on divorce and religion. More could not accept his old friend's denial of the Pope's authority, and was eventually allowed to resign. In 1535, Henry had him executed for high treason.The most powerful monarch to have ever ruled Britain, Henry VIII soon established the Church of England giving himself complete control over Church and State.Yet behind this image was a man deeply traumatised by a bitter divorce. With so many of those closest to him siding with Catherine, his personal life had begun to spiral out of control.
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- PublisherWilliam Collins
- Publication date2021
- ISBN 10 0007298692
- ISBN 13 9780007298693
- BindingAudio CD
- Rating
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