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Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule
Preparing Tudor Kings and Princes to Rule: The Men and Women Who Trained the Royals | JULIA A. HICKEY
1 post | 1 read
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.
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review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

A well-researched, but sometimes academically dry, look at those who spent their lives closest to the heirs to England's throne. From Henry VII's formidable mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, to Cat Ashley, Elizabeth I's confidant. The issue for me is that we seem to spend an awful lot of time on Henry VII, Prince Arthur, & Henry VIII, & seemingly whizz through Edward VI, Mary I, & Elizabeth I. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf That may just be my impression though as I find the latter three more interesting.

I do note that the author brought out evidence to counter the impression that most people have of Edward VI as a sickly invalid. Here he seems to have been a fairly healthy child & took part in activities such as tilting & hunting which he would not have done if he were fragile.
3d
OutsmartYourShelf Overall though, it took me almost a week to read this & normally I absolutely tear through anything to do with the Tudors, so I rate this 3.25⭐
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My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7254294896
Read 19th-25th Feb 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
3d
DieAReader 🎉🎉🎉 3d
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