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This book examines the structures of power and jurisdiction that operated in Tudor England. It explains what the institutions of central government were designed to do, and how they related to each other. ... Read more

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Although achieving notoriety as the persecutor of Protestants, Mary I of England had to contend with great personal, religious and dynastic stress. Her mother, Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife, fell from grace while Mary was still young, and her own future seemed bleak. Her eventual reign and its tortuous lead-up were set against the political and religious confusion that Henry VIII bequeathed to his kingdom. Despite this, Mary established the precedents for queenly power that her 'glorious' half sister and dynastic competitor Elizabeth could later exploit. David Loades, one of the UK's leading experts on Mary, provides the full personal and political story behind the queen. Her steeliness belied an emotional fragility, and her doomed marriage to the King of Spain threatened the peace of the realm. Original documents, letters and color illustrations combine with the text to make an absorbing historical journey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Mary Tudor - a fresh look at a much hated Queen
David Loades wrote a biography of Queen Mary Tudor fifteen years ago.His earlier work has beenrevised and looked at afresh in this biography written for National Archives in the UK.His biography has been based primarily on original documents about Mary in the archives - and many of these have been reproduced in this publication as well.Its something that serious historical authors used to do in earlier centuries and its actually welcome to see the practice return as a way of preserving this information if the original is ever lost (and that happened quite a bit).

Loades has come to some unusal conclusions about Mary with a fresh look at her life - but I would also say that this is a very balanced assement of this woman who lived though a bitter divorce and the overthrow of all she loved in her youth.If you have an interest in Mary Tudor this book is one you should pick up.

Bloody Mary

Some clarification...
David Loades is an authority on Mary Tudor and a fine author.Just a point of clarification on the earlier review, however; the first reviewer confuses Mary Tudor and Mary Stuart, two very different rulers.Mary Tudor was the eldest daughter of Henry VIII and the only surviving child of Catherine of Aragon. She succeeded to the throne in 1553 after her brother Edward VI and died in 1558.She has indeed been criticized for what many consider her overzealous push to return England to Catholicism, but in her defense, she was doing what she thought was right.

On the other hand, Mary Stuart was the cousin of Elizabeth I (who was in turn the younger sister of Mary Tudor and daughter of Anne Boleyn) and was the one ultimately beheaded during Elizabeth I's reign in 1587.It should be noted that Elizabeth I herself was briefly imprisoned by Mary I (Mary Tudor) but was released unharmed.

This is a fascinating period of history and this book is a good starting point to learn more about Mary Tudor's brief and sad reign.Mary Stuart's life is also very interesting and Amazon carries several good biographies on her as well.

An articulate and very highly recommended work of impeccable scholarship
There have been many biographies of Mary Tudor, the British contender against Elizabeth I for the throne of England. History being largely written by the winners, Mary Tudor became notorious for her lethal persecution of the Protestants, her unceasing efforts to deliver Britain to the Catholics, the loss of Calais to the fledgling British empire, and her decades long struggle to gain control of Britain that was to result in years of confinement by Queen Elizabeth and her eventual death at the headsman's axe at an advanced age. In "Mary Tudor: The Tragical History of The First Queen Of England", historian David Loades (Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Wales and an Associate of the Centre for Early Modern History at the University of Oxford) fully explores the dimensions of a complex life in a time of political volatility, religious wars, male domination of government, royal marriages for political advantages, personal devoutness, and a woman who was in many ways stronger than any of the men with whom she associated in her quest for royal power and Catholic supremacy. "Mary Tudor" is an articulate and very highly recommended work of impeccable scholarship that should be a part of every academic library British History & Royal Biography reference collection and supplemental reading list. ... Read more

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This book asserts the importance of the semi-autonomous political, administrative and judicial system of the palatinate of Chester, and of other similar jurisdictions, in the early Tudor period. Contrary to the impression conveyed in almost all recent writing, the culture of centre and locality justified and glorified the palatinate: taxation, a crucial issue, was still agreed through a local parliament and paid in the traditional manner; and the council of the earl of Chester was potent enough to tap the demand for equitable justice, giving birth to the Chester exchequer. Changes did occur, but despite political imperatives, administrative momentum, and the imperial ideal (presented particularly in the work of Thomas Cromwell) the Chester palatinate as a cultural, social and political institution emerged in the 1560s altered but still formidable ... Read more

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An overview of Tudor food and eating habits. Chapters cover food and society, table manners, feasting and banquets, Tudor ideas about healthy eating and kitchens and cooking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating
This is a really fascinating book for anyone with a passing interest in either history or food!Yes, you foodies out there will find it to be a really good read.

The different chapters of the book deal with different aspects of the everyday life.And it is well written too - not just a dry historical text, but a rich detailing of what was available to eat and how it looked.Most people have seen grand feasts on TV or movies, such as whole roasted peacocks with their feathers put back, and yes, you can read of such extravaganzas right here!

It is a really interesting book - guaranteed to generate conversation if you leave it out the next time you have a dinner party.It is good fun too, and always interesting!

Very enjoyable read about food and feasting in Tudor times!
As a serving wench in the King's Feast Hall at the Texas Renaissance Faire, I am asked all sorts of questions about the food, the utensils, the beverages, and anything having to do with food and feasting during KingHenry VIII's time."Food and Feast in Tudor England" is not onlyenjoyable to read (i.e. more than just a dry recitation of the facts), buthighly informative as well.Each chapter covers a various aspect such asFood and Society in the 16th Century, Kitchens and Kitchen Equipment,Health and Diet, and Tableware to name a few.As with her other books,Alison Sim has written this book in an interesting, informative,easy-to-digest manner. In addition to knowledge for knowledge's sake, thisbook is a must-have for anyone involved in Tudor/Renaissance role-playing. When I answer the feast hall patrons' questions, I will be giving themfacts and not something made-up! ... Read more

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This is a collection of specially commissioned research essays by scholars on the government of Tudor England, designed as a tribute from a group of advanced students to their supervisor. Professor Sir Geoffrey Elton, to whom the volume is dedicated, is internationally celebrated, and the most influential living historian of the period. Each essay reflects the special interest of the author, within the broader theme of 'Law and Government'. The book will be read by many who have been influenced by Professor Elton's teaching, but who may not necessarily be students or historians of Tudor England. ... Read more

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This book explores the strengths and weaknesses of the English state in the sixteenth century. It examines the relationship between monarchy and people in Cornwall and Devon, and the complex interaction between local and national political culture. Popular resistance to the Reformation, and the rebellions of 1497 and 1548-9, are set against the strategies employed by the crown to cultivate the allegiance of its subjects. Royal propaganda, both literary and visual, is identified as a key factor in the development of patriotism and the nation state. This book offers a fresh understanding of government at the allegedly dangerous edges of Tudor England. ... Read more

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Witchcraft in 16th- and 17th-century England! Witchcraftbeliefs and accusations flourished as never before in sixteenth- andseventeenth-century England. This study of some of the least-exploredregions of post-Reformation society investigates the categories ofpersons that were believed to be witches and considers the motives oftheir accusers. The author, a highly regardedanthropologist-historian, examines the extent to which witchcraftaccusations reflected basic tensions in the structure of pre-industrial thought and society, and directs light on such issues ascontemporary attitudes to misfortune and pain, to methods of resolvinginterpersonal conflicts, to the treatment of social deviants. ... Read more

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A classic and revolutionary study
For those interested in the history of witch-trials, rather than modern witchcraft practices, Macfarlane's study is a classic and even necessary study.After reading extensively in the anthropological literature of the time, Macfarlane formulates a close reading of documents from Tudor/Stuart England.

In essence, Macfarlane argues that accusers usually knew those they accused quite well; they were in fact commonly neighbors.Under older medieval conceptions of neighborliness, one was supposed to offer elderly women (as the accused very often were) charity and the like.But in the early modern period, with the difficult economic conditions all over Europe and the rise of new conceptions of privacy, property, and so forth, as well as tremendous population growth, people increasingly did not feel inclined toward such easy charity.What commonly occurs, then, is that a middle-class landowner turns away a somewhat unpleasant elderly beggar, who then stalks away cursing and muttering; indeed, even if given charity, she may similarly stalk away cursing, perhaps believing the charity stingy, or perhaps angry at a situation which requires her to beg for charity at all.The landowner now feels guilt: he or she has in some sense violated a traditional trust.One way to assuage this guilt, however, is to assert that the woman was undeserving of Christian charity, on the grounds that she is a witch.Thus the accusation of witchcraft could serve to assuage one's own personal sense of guilt.

This is an extremely simplistic version of Macfarlane's complex social-historical reading.More broadly, he goes through huge numbers of documents and establishes that difficulties of social relations seem to underlie the majority of accusations in his chosen period and region.

While Macfarlane's work has been improved upon for both England and for the rest of the witch-hunting Euro-American world, it is nevertheless a seminal work in the social understanding of witchcraft accusations.The basic problem, you see, is that usually there is no reason to think that the accused witches had actually done anything resembling "witchcraft" -- no, they were not midwives, cunning women, or anything of the kind, as a rule.So the questions are (1) why were these particular sorts of people singled out, and (2) why did anyone level the accusations in the first place?

Macfarlane's book should be on the shelf of anyone serious about studying the history of the witch-hunt phenomenon in Europe.If you are a witch, you may find nothing of value here, as suggested by a previous reviewer.If you are interested on an historical level, however, this is a major work.

Comments from a real witch
This book was some what imformative, however lacking in accurate statements. Author made various assumptions with nothing to base them on. However it was well written. The few gems of correct info that he did provide were excellent. Though I don't agree with the portrayal of witches in the book, I would recommend reading this for FUN do not take anything he says as the truth and nothing but the truth. ... Read more

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This book of original scope and methodology consists of twelve interdisciplinary essays on the ideas, images and rituals of Tudor and early Stuart society. Through the exploitation of new manuscript material, or hitherto untapped artistic sources, the authors open up new perspectives on the ideas, institutions and rituals of political society. Key aspects of Tudor political culture are explored, including royal iconography, funereal symbolism, parliamentary elections, political vocabularies, kinship and family at court and in the country, and the architecture of urban authority. ... Read more

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This celebrated collection of essays was first published in 1961 to mark the 80th birthday of the great historian and social reformer R. H. Tawney. The list of contributors contains several of the most English distinguished historians of the post-war period, including Lawrence Stone, Christopher Hill, Joan Thirsk, Gerald Aylmer and Donald Coleman, and many of the essays in this volume have since assumed classic status. The collection opens with F. J. Fisher's celebrated overview of 'Tawney's Century', defined as that period which separates the Dissolution of the Monasteries of the 1530s from the Great Rebellion of the 1640s. ... Read more

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The proceedings of the 1987 Harlaxton Symposium focused upon the theme of early Tudor England. The papers in this volume elucidate the history and the artistic and intellectual achievement of that epoch under the patronage of the gentry and the early Tudor monarchs, particularly Henry VIII. ... Read more

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The remarkable women studied in this work include: Lady Jane Grey; Mary Queen of Scots; Margaret, Countess of Cumberland; Bess Throckmorton Raleigh; and Eleanor White Dare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Should never have been allowed to be published
Although this book is marketed as history, on a cursory examination, I should say this is particularly saccharine and dewy-eyed romance.How very disappointing.I had to force myself to plough through the one chapter I really hoped would be useful, the one on Dorothy Stafford, who has been a subject of my research for the last 20 years.

The author has NO CLUE.She also has very poor writing skills. The chapter is riddled with bad grammar and irrelevant material, much of which concerns matters that there could be no record of, so how does she know?I'm not just talking about things that there might be a record I haven't found yet; but who would ever record that Dorothy Stafford whispered to the captain of the ship that took her across the Channel that her name was spelled Dorothée with an accent?And why would she bother?Later on, the writer describes her as "calling herself 'Dorothy' now."This demonstrates considerable ignorance of contemporary spelling habits;at that time, people would spell their own name five different ways in one document without turning a hair (viz. Walter Ralegh and William Shakespeare).I am puzzled as to why the writer would think this is important.She appears to imply that this is a disguise; a very thin one, methinks, even in modern times when how you spell your name makes a difference.

Then there is the matter of the Crown Jewels.The author is very impressed that Dorothy "legally inherited the Crown Jewels from Anne Boleyn," via Anne's sister Mary, who was Dorothy's husband's first wife.This ignores two important issues: firstly, that when convicted of treason, all Anne Boleyn's possessions were forfeit to the Crown, so any will she made disposing of her property was irrelevant; and secondly, that these are the CROWN JEWELS, folks, so not Anne's to dispose of in the first place.They are the property of the Crown.And even if Anne could have willed her personal property to anyone, she didn't know of Dorothy's existance (she was aged about ten at the time), so anything she willed to Mary would have become the property of Sir William, not of his future wife.

The theme that links the ten subjects of this book together is their support of exploration and colonization of the New World.The tiny seed of this in the chapter on Dorothy Stafford is that she encouraged Bartholomew Gosnold to continue his explorations.The author also states that Dorothy invested in a French expedition to colonize the New World, but gives no supporting references for this, and it occurs during a period when she was financially strapped, so it seems unlikely to me.This does not really seem to be a very big contribution for the subject of the second chapter of the book; surely others did more?The Countess of Warwick comes to mind. Before I got my copy, I had some doubts about it, since I did not know of any such support; my principal fear was that the author might have conflated Dorothy Stafford with her daughter-in-law, Douglas (Sheffield) Stafford, who was a patron and supporter of Richard Hakluyt, who really was a major contributor to the exploration of the New World through his writings.

Most of the references to this chapter are very old; the writer has not apparently consulted any more recent publications.A pity; if she had read Dorothy's father's entry in the "Dictionary of National Biography", she would know that many of the Stafford family, whom she describes as strongly supporting the Reformation, were actually closet Catholics.Though she cites the "Calendars of State Papers" in the bibliography, she doesn't seem to have noticed a lot of very useful material there.

I hope that the other nine chapters are not as bad as this one.

P.S.The author has Jane Grey refusing to learn the waltz ... a dance that was not introduced into England until the early 19th century. ... Read more

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Brought together as a tribute to the distinguished Tudor historian C.S.L. Davies, the essays in this collection address key themes in the current historiography of the Tudor period. These include the nature, causes and consequences of change in English government, society and religion, the relationship of centre, localities and peripheral areas in the Tudor state, the regulation of belief and conduct, and the dynamics of England's relations with her neighbours. The contributors, colleagues and students of Cliff Davies, are all leading scholars who have provided fresh essays reflecting the wide-ranging inquisitiveness characteristic of his own work. They seek to cross as he has done the traditional boundaries between the medieval and early modern periods and between social, political and religious history. A coherent collection in their own right, these essays, by showing the many new directions open to those studying the Tudor period, provide a fitting tribute to such an influential scholar. ... Read more

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Horses played a vital role in the economy of pre-industrial England. They acted as draught animals, pulled ploughs, waggons and coaches, worked machines, and transported goods around the country. As saddle animals they enabled their riders to carry out a wide variety of tasks, and at all levels of society they were regarded as status symbols in a unique relationship with man shared by no other animal. During the Tudor and Stuart period, horses were needed in ever-growing numbers, and for a greater variety of tasks. As demand grew, improvements became necessary in the means of supply and distribution. The agents of change, the specialist dealers, were often condemned as rogues and cheats, whose actions raised prices and caused shortages. Dr Edwards argues that, far from being generally unscrupulous, the dealers were no better or worse than those amongst whom they lived and worked. ... Read more

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Using quotes and illustrations from contemporary sources, describes the physical, economic, political, and social structure and day-to-day life in the cities and towns of sixteenth and seventeenth century England. ... Read more

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Covering the period from 1547 to 1558, The Mid Tudors explores the reigns of Edward VI and Mary. Stephen J. Lee examines all the key issues debated by historians, including the question as to whether there was a mid-Tudor crisis. Using a wide variety of sources and historiography, Lee also looks at the Reformation and the Counter Reformation, as well as discussing government and foreign policy. The book starts with a chapter on Henry VIII to establish the overall perspective over the following two reigns – thereby providing a basis to examine their positive as well as negative features.

Including both a chronology and glossary of key terms, this essential A Level book provides a vital resource for all students of this fascinating period of British history.

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