2015
First Published
3.27
Average Rating
296
Number of Pages
Although the Seymours arrived with the Normans, it is with Jane, Henry VIII's third queen, her brothers, Edward, Duke of Somerset and Thomas, Lord Seymour of Sudeley, that they became prominent. Jane bore Henry his longed-for son, Edward VI and both her brothers achieved prominence through her. Edward was central to Henry's activities in Scotland and become Lord Protector for the young king, his nephew, a hugely powerful position. Thomas married Henry's sixth wife, Catherine Parr and after her death in 1548 aimed to marry Princess Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth I) with whom he had flirted when she was in Catherine's care and for this he was executed for high treason. Edward fell foul of his fellow councillors and was also executed. Edward's son was restored to the title, Lord Hertford, by Elizabeth I but was sent to the Tower when it emerged that he had secretly married Jane Grey's sister, Catherine, who was Elizabeth's protestant heir. Both her marriage and pregnancy were an affront to the queen. This is the epic rise and fall of the family at the heart of the Tudor court and of Henry VIII's own heart, he described Jane as 'my first true wife' and left express orders to be buried next to her tomb at Windsor Castle. The family seat of Wolfhall or 'Wolf Hall' in Wiltshire is long gone but it lives on as an icon of the Tudor age.
Avg Rating
3.27
Number of Ratings
41
5 STARS
7%
4 STARS
24%
3 STARS
56%
2 STARS
12%
1 STARS
0%
goodreads
Author
David Loades
Author · 21 books
David Michael Loades was a British historian who specialised in the Tudor era. After military service in the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1955, Loades studied at the University of Cambridge. In the 1960s and 1970s he taught at the universities of St. Andrews and Durham. From 1980 until 1996 Loades was Professor of History at the University of Wales; after taking emeritus status, Loades served as Honorary Research Professor at the University of Sheffield from 1996 until 2008.
