Tudor: The Family Story

Summary (from the publisher): In an epic narrative sweeping from 1437 to the first decade of the seventeenth century, Tudor: the Family Story traces the rise and rule of the Tudor dynasty. Brutal political instability dominated England during this infamous time, and Leanda de Lisle reveals the personalities, passions, and obsessions of the men and women at its epicenter to rediscover the true significances of previously overlooked figures: from the remarkable women, so wholly devoted to securing the line of succession, to the Princes in the Tower, whose disappearances have remained a mystery for centuries.

This groundbreaking story opens at the unlikely beginning of the Tudor dynasty—with Owen Tudor, a handsome Welsh commoner who, with a pirouette and a trip, landed squarely in the lap of the English Monarchy. The struggle of Owen’s grandson Henry VII and his heirs to secure the line of succession—and the hopes, loves, and losses of the claimants—are the focus of this book. The universal appeal of the Tudors also lies in the family stories: of a mother’s love for her son, of the husband who kills his wives, of siblings who betray one another, of reckless love affairs, of rival cousins, of an old spinster whose heirs hope to hurry her to her end.

Thrilling to read and bristling with religious and political intrigue, Tudor: The Family Story tells the true story behind the myths, throwing a fresh, new light on this perennially fascinating era.

Review: I received a copy of this book from Net Galley. 

Although I've picked up a fair amount of knowledge about many of the Tudors through various historical fiction novels and scattered biographies about individual members of the Tudor family tree, I felt like I had gaps in my knowledge. Tudor: The Family Story gave an excellent overview of the Tudor dynasty, including the six Tudor monarchs: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Jane Grey, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. It was detailed enough to allow me to learn more about each Tudor, but brief enough to not overload me with so much information that I walked away remembering less than when I started. 

Although I know a decent amount about Henry VIII, Mary, and Elizabeth, I knew very little going into this book about the origins of the Tudors. Amazingly, the story begins with Owen Tudor, a Welsh squire who found a position in the widowed Queen Catherine's household as a chamber servant. Married in secret, a royal scandal, Catherine and Owen had several children, who became the half-siblings to Catherine's son by her first husband, the son who was now the English King Henry VI. Edmund, the oldest half-sibling, was married to Margaret Beaufort, who gave birth to a son at the age of 13. This son would grow up to become Henry VII. So the grandson of a Welsh servant had become king. 

It was Henry VII's son that would become Henry VIII who would go on to have six wives, one of which was the infamous, and roundly hated in her time, Anne Boleyn. Anne was so disliked that a story circulated after her coronation that "Anne had worn a dress embroidered with tongues struck through with nails as a warning to those who would speak against her." Henry VIII's reign was notable for the king's anxiety over his lack of heirs. In a time when the succession secured a dynasty and remaining family member's security the lack of able heirs was a serious concern. Despite his many wives, Henry VIII only left a young son, Edward, and two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. Ironically, all three of his children would rule, but none would have children of their own to succeed them. 

Sadly, the reign of the last several Tudor rulers (and the many before them) were marked by fear of all close relatives, who could threaten their throne. Mary harbored deep suspicions of her sister, Elizabeth, who she imprisoned in the tower for some time. Likewise, once a monarch, Elizabeth remained fearful of her remaining relatives including Mary, Queen of Scots and the remaining Grey sisters. This delicate dance of royal power is described by de Lisle, who writes, "As one head was cut from the hydra of royal cousins another, inevitably, grew stronger." In fact, one of the main reasons Elizabeth never married was because she wished to avoid upsetting the delicate balance of power that kept her on the throne by introducing a male consort.

Although I knew a lot about the latter Tudor family story, I did learn some interesting tidbits through de Lisle's book. For example, I had previously read that Bloody Mary suffered from a stomach cancer, which led her to initially believe she was pregnant. However, de Lisle argues that this was instead a "phantom pregnancy." "She had for years suffered menstrual abnormalities and was by this time very thin. Her symptoms are suggestive, however, of autoimmune hyperthyroid disease, which affects a sufferer's mental state, and this includes documented cases of delusional pregnancy." Additionally, more details were revealed about Elizabeth I's rumored lover Robert Dudley's wife Amy. Amy died suspiciously, found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. "The recent discovery of Amy's post-mortem reveals she had head injuries. These could have resulted from a fall in which she hit the edge of the stone steps. There were reports she had been unwell, and she might have fainted. Equally, they could be the result of deliberate blows." As well, I had never read much about the end of Elizabeth's reign, but apparently the once formidably bright queen became physically and mentally frail as she aged. "She had lost so many teeth that he found 'one cannot understand her easily when she speaks quickly.' [...] Despite the bitter December cold she kept pulling open her silver dress, exposing her wrinkled breasts."

This was an interesting read that gave me a great chronology of the royal family. For those looking to find a great introduction to the Tudor family tree, this book hits the mark. 

Stars: 4