30 January – Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From Saint Margaret to Margaret of Denmark by Sharon Bennett Connolly
‘Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England’s northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland’s queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.’
Further details – Pen & Sword Books
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
27 February – Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen (paperback) by Nicola Tallis
‘This colourful and immensely detailed biography charts Elizabeth’s turbulent and unstable upbringing, from the Wyatt Rebellion – a plot to topple her half-sister, Mary, from her throne – to the predatory attentions of Sir Thomas Seymour and the heartbreaking rift with her beloved stepmother Katherine Parr. When Elizabeth became queen, she had already endured more tumult than many monarchs experienced in a lifetime, and this truly comprehensive account explores the dangers and tragedies that plagued her early life.
Best-selling author Nicola Tallis draws on primary sources written by Elizabeth herself and her contemporaries, providing an extensive and thorough study of an exceptionally resilient youngster whose early life would shape the queen she later became. This is a nuanced, authentic and utterly gripping biography that throws new light onto the early life of this iconic monarch. The heart-racing story of Elizabeth’s youth as she steered her way through perilous waters towards England’s throne is one of the most sensational of its time.’
Further details – Michael O’Mara Books
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
28 February – Mary Tudor: Queen of France by Amy McElroy
‘Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister, lived a remarkable life. A princess, duchess and queen, she was known as the English Rose for her beauty. Mary Tudor, Queen of France, aims to explore the life of one of the few who stood up to Henry VIII and lived to tell the tale. Henry VIII is well known, but his larger-than-life character often overshadows that of his sisters. Mary Tudor was born a princess, married a king and then a duke, and lived an extraordinary life. This book focuses on Mary’s life, her childhood, her relationship with Henry, her marriages and her relationship with her husbands. Mary grew up in close proximity to Henry, becoming his favourite sister, and later, after her marriage to the French king, she married his best friend, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. The events impacting the siblings will be reviewed to examine how they may have changed and shaped their relationship.’
Further details – Pen & Sword Books
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
28 February – The Lord Protector and His Wives: Catherine Filliol, Anne Stanhope and Edward Seymour by Rebecca Batley
‘Sometime before 1518 Edward Seymour, the brother of Queen Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, married Catherine Filliol. Catherine gained connections in the highest echelons of Tudor society and Edward the prospect of a large inheritance. It should have been a match made in heaven, but instead, within a decade, they were engulfed in uncertainty and scandal. Catherine was repudiated, and the two sons she had borne her husband eventually disinherited. The nature of this scandal is unclear but later historians accused Catherine of an affair with her father-in-law. Her exact fate remains uncertain, but by 1535, Edward was free to marry again, and he turned his attention to another heiress, Anne Stanhope, who would, in her own way, prove to be just as scandalous. Katherine Parr would call Anne “that hell”, but she was strong, opinionated and fiercely intelligent. A friend of Anne Askew, a connection that almost cost her her life, Anne lived to see her brother-in-law, her half-brother, and her husband go to the block. Imprisoned in the Tower herself she managed to keep her head and ultimately emerged wealthy and powerful, dying peacefully on the 16th April 1587 at Hanworth Palace. Anne was the ultimate Tudor survivor.’
Further details – Pen and Sword
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
28 February – Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule: The Men and Women Who Trained the Royals by Julia A Hickey
‘The men and women who found themselves responsible for Tudor princes and princesses were chosen for a variety of reasons and came from different backgrounds. The outcome of their labour was almost as varied. These are the stories of the men and women who moulded the Tudors and what happened to them in the throne’s shadow. Amongst their number were gentlewomen, veterans of the Wars of the Roses, a Plantagenet princess, Welsh speakers, royal uncles and the children of convicted traitors. For some, there were rewards, pensions and preferment. For others, there was only disaster. For those who sought power themselves, including Edward VI’s guardians Edward Seymour and John Dudley, the executioner’s axe awaited. Jasper Tudor protected his nephew Henry Tudor during thirteen difficult years in exile, fulfilling the role of bodyguard, secret agent and adviser. Lady Margaret Beaufort advised on the birth, education and marriages of her grandchildren. Princes and princesses were reared from infancy by women whom the ruling monarch could trust. Mother Jak and Sybil Penn became surrogate mothers. Governesses, including Margaret Countess of Salisbury and Lady Margaret Bryan, were loyal, kind and protective. Others, like Anne Shelton, were appointed to make the lives of their royal charge a misery. It was left to Katherine Parr, a strongminded intelligent woman, to exercise her right as Henry VIII’s queen to take a close personal interest in the education of her step-children. Faced with dysfunctional families and turbulent times, governors and governesses faced imprisonment, execution or ruin on behalf of their royal charges. But the rewards were worth the risk.’
Further details – Pen and Sword
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
14 March – Secrets of the Tudor Portraits: Unveiling the Masterpieces of Holbein, the Horenbouts, Hilliard, and Others by Sylvia Barbara Soberton
‘ Step into the dazzling world of Tudor England, where art and power intertwine. In Secrets of the Tudor Portraits, Sylvia Barbara Soberton uncovers the hidden stories behind some of the most iconic images of the Tudor period. From the commanding presence of Henry VIII in Hans Holbein’s Whitehall Mural to Elizabeth I’s carefully crafted image as the Virgin Queen, these portraits are more than mere likenesses—they are coded messages, political propaganda and deeply personal reflections of their sitters.
Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, this book delves into the lives of the courtiers and artists who depicted them. Who were the true masterminds behind these masterpieces? What symbols and secrets lie hidden in plain sight? And how do these portraits continue to shape our understanding of the Tudor dynasty?’
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
27 March – Lionessheart: The Life and Times of Joanna Plantagenet by Catherine Hanley
‘Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine are two of the most recognisable figures of the Middle Ages, and almost certainly the best-known couple. The lives of their sons have been examined in detail many times, but their daughters are barely known despite the influence they exerted on the world around them. Joanna, the youngest daughter, led an extraordinary life full of travel, adventure, danger and controversy. Her story is told here in full for the first time.’
Further details – The History Press
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
30 June – Tudor Princes and Princesses: The Early Lives of the Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York by Aimee Fleming
‘In 1485, the marriage of Henry Tudor and Elizabeth of York united two warring houses, setting the foundation for the powerful Tudor dynasty. Together, they had seven children, heirs to a new era in England’s history. While some of these siblings would go on to leave a lasting legacy, shaping the course of history through politics, religion, and culture, little is often said about their early lives. So what were their childhoods truly like? How did their upbringing influence the adults they would become? From the pressure of being raised under the shadow of the Wars of the Roses to the daily rituals, education, and relationships that defined their formative years, the lives of these Tudor children were anything but ordinary. By exploring their personal stories in greater detail, we gain insight into the unique challenges they faced and the forces that shaped them into the influential and formidable historical figures they became, some leaving a lasting legacy that we remember to this day.’
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
30 August – The Race for Elizabeth I’s Throne: Rival Tudor Cousins by Beverley Adams
‘As the childless Elizabeth I lay on her deathbed, discussions over who would succeed her as ruler of England raged on amongst her advisors. The succession to Elizabeth’s throne was hotly debated throughout her reign (1558-1603) and despite having no direct heir, the queen refused to name her successor over safety concerns, being convinced a plot would be raised to oust her in favour of the heir. There were many contenders to the crown, but Elizabeth’s main rival was Mary, Queen of Scots but her Catholic faith and ill-advised marriage to fellow claimant Lord Darnley, against Elizabeth’s wishes, damaged her claim. Her claim was ended when the English queen had her Scottish counterpart executed in 1587. Other claims came from the Grey sisters Katherine and Mary, and later Margaret Clifford and Arbella Stuart. But the crown finally came to King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary and Darnley, in what was a smooth transition. His accession marked the end of the Tudor dynasty and the start of the Stuart era in England.’
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
30 September – Elizabeth I’s Ladies, Gentlewomen and Maids: The Women who Served the Tudor Queen by Heather Shanette
‘‘What do you think of my ladies?’ Queen Elizabeth I is said to have asked a visitor to her court. The visitor, an experienced courtier, is said to have given the perfect answer: ‘It is hard to judge of stars in the presence of the sun’. Although overlooked for centuries, as the eye of history has been on the chivalrous and stately men who surrounded the Virgin Queen, the women of the Queen’s world, who attended upon her in public and in private, were of no less influence and sway than the more famous men around her. Indeed, the women of the Queen’s inner circle were far more than just attendants. They were the Queen’s friends and confidantes, her all-important support network in a treacherous political world, and by blood or by bond they were her ‘family’. This book tells their stories, the stories of the Queen’s ladies, gentlewomen and maids who, between them, served her from the cradle to the grave. From governesses to laundresses, this book features them all, with a comprehensive overview of the main positions of attendance accompanied by a biographical index of all the women known to have served the Queen over the course of her life and reign, from the matronly ladies who headed her nursery to the vivacious maids who dazzled her court with their wit and beauty.’
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
