David LoadesHistorian and lecturer

Mei TrowHistorian and author

Learn about:• Tudor life and times and how they

shaped the Britain of today

• Henry VIII and his unlucky wives

• The turbulent private and political life of Elizabeth I

• The bloody battles, rampant diseases and religious divides of the period

The Tudors

Making Everything Easier!™

Open the book and find:

• What Henry VIII was really like

• How the Church of England was founded

• Why Lady Jane Grey was queen for only nine days

• Why Elizabeth I never married Robert Dudley

• The history behind the Tudor rose

• The origins of the Troubles in Ireland

• How the monarchy changed hands, from Tudors to Stuarts

• Where to find surviving Tudor buildings

• What the Tudors did for us

Professor David Loades is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wales

and has taught history at universities including St Andrews and Durham.

He has written many books on the Tudor period and is a Fellow of the

Royal Historical Society. Mei Trow is a history tutor, lecturer and author

who has written numerous historical books on topics ranging from Jack the

Ripper to Boudicca. His recent TV work includes Ancient Discoveries and

Spartacus for The History Channel.

£15.99 UK / $19.99 US / $23.99 CN

ISBN 978-0-470-68792-5

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Delve inside the Tudor world and discover the facts behind the fictionThe British Isles have witnessed many great regal dynasties through the ages, but none more turbulent, exciting and controversial than the Tudors. This book looks through the history of a legendary era, exploring monarchs such as the infamous Henry VIII, the ruthless Mary I and the indomitable Elizabeth I. Packed with information on the battles, beheadings and royal family bust ups, The Tudors For Dummies is history at its best. Covering everything from the founding of the Church of England to the Spanish Armada, this book reveals why the Tudors were so pivotal in shaping modern Britain.

• Back to the start – find out about daily life in the sixteenth century and discover the roots of the Tudor dynasty

• Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived – take an in-depth look at Henry VIII’s ever-changing marital status and the reasons behind his break with the Roman Catholic church

• Chasing the limelight – unravel the chaotic successions of Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey and ‘Bloody Mary’

• The first Elizabeth – explore an era of religious and political transformation, taking in the Spanish Armada, her feud with Mary, Queen of Scots, and much more

The TudorsLoades

Trow

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by David Loades and Mei Trow

The TudorsFOR

DUMmIES‰

A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, Publication

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The Tudors For Dummies®

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About the AuthorsProfessor David Loades studied history at Cambridge, where he researched under the great Professor Sir Geoffrey Elton, and spent his entire working life teaching history at various universities including St Andrews, Durham and North Wales. He is Professor Emeritus, University of Wales, and for the duration of his directorship of the British Academy John Foxe Project, was Research Professor at the University of Sheffi eld. He is currently a member of the History Faculty of the University of Oxford, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has just completed a book on Mary Tudor and is currently writing a biography of Henry VIII, as well as a book on the mid-Tudor navy.

Mei Trow is an historian and criminologist who has written a number of books on the more colourful personalities from history, such as Spartacus, Vlad the Impaler, Boudicca, El Cid and Kit Marlowe. Mei is also a novelist with two crime detective series to his credit and a third in development. He regularly appears on the Discovery and History Channels as an expert and presenter.

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Authors’ AcknowledgementsWriting a For Dummies book has been a very different experience from writ-ing the many other books I have published, but whatever I write owes much to my pupils during a lifetime of teaching. In this instance my fi rst debt must be to my wife, Judith, who has worked her way through each chapter.

I also thank Juliet Atkins, without whose technical skills the format would have been impossible for me. My greatest debt is to the For Dummies team: to Nicole Hermitage, who invited me to contribute to the series (and who must often have had second thoughts!), and to Brian who made my work more lucid. Finally, my greatest debt is to Steve Edwards who has taken this book every step of the way and who has demonstrated the patience of Job in seeing it through from start to fi nish!

– David Loades

My thanks as always to Carol, my wife, for all her hard work and technical know-how in putting The Tudors For Dummies together. My thanks also to Steve Edwards and his team, for their support and guidance.

– Mei Trow

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Publisher’s Acknowledgements

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

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Contents at a GlanceIntroduction ................................................................ 1

Part I: Encountering the Early Tudors ............................ 7Chapter 1: Touring the Time of the Tudors ................................................................... 9Chapter 2: Starting a Dynasty: Henry VII ...................................................................... 29

Part II: Handling Henry VIII ....................................... 53Chapter 3: Being Bluff King Hal: Henry VIII ................................................................... 55Chapter 4: Running the Kingdom, Henry’s Way ........................................................... 69Chapter 5: Six Weddings and Two Funerals: Henry VIII’s Wives and Girlfriends .... 83Chapter 6: Building a New Church: Henry and Religion ........................................... 101

Part III: Remembering the Forgotten Tudors: Edward VI and Mary .............................................. 115Chapter 7: Ruling from the Nursery: Edward VI and His Protectors ....................... 117Chapter 8: Encouraging Protestantism ....................................................................... 133Chapter 9: Changing with the Times: Edward, John, Jane and Mary ...................... 149Chapter 10: Returning to the Old Faith: Mary I .......................................................... 167Chapter 11: Ending the Dream: The Last of Mary ...................................................... 185

Part IV: Ending with Elizabeth .................................. 197Chapter 12: Dancing with Elizabeth ............................................................................ 199Chapter 13: Choosing the Middle Way between Protestants and Catholics .......... 215Chapter 14: Gunning for Elizabeth ............................................................................... 233Chapter 15: Facing the Armada .................................................................................... 251Chapter 16: Ending an Era: 1590–1603 ........................................................................ 269

Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... 281Chapter 17: Ten Top Tudor People ............................................................................. 283Chapter 18: Ten Things the Tudors Did for Us .......................................................... 297Chapter 19: Ten Top Tudor Buildings ........................................................................ 305Chapter 20: Ten Major Tudor Events .......................................................................... 313Chapter 21: Ten Tudor Firsts ....................................................................................... 321

Index ...................................................................... 331

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Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................. 1About This Book .............................................................................................. 1Conventions Used in This Book ..................................................................... 2Foolish Assumptions ....................................................................................... 3How This Book Is Organised .......................................................................... 3

Part I: Encountering the Early Tudors ................................................ 3Part II: Handling Henry VIII ................................................................... 4Part III: Remembering the Forgotten Tudors:

Edward VI and Mary .......................................................................... 4Part IV: Ending with Elizabeth .............................................................. 4Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................................................ 5

Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. 5Where to Go from Here ................................................................................... 6

Part I: Encountering the Early Tudors ............................. 7

Chapter 1: Touring the Time of the Tudors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Looking at the Tudor Kingdom .................................................................... 10Getting to Know the Family .......................................................................... 10Cruising the Royal Court .............................................................................. 12

Mingling with the monarch ................................................................. 12Breaking down the Court .................................................................... 13

Taking in Tudor Beliefs ................................................................................. 16Seeing How the Masses Lived ...................................................................... 17

Following in father’s footsteps ........................................................... 17Visiting the average village ................................................................. 17Chartering towns ................................................................................. 19Paying the price ................................................................................... 19Trading at home and overseas ........................................................... 20

Building Dream Homes ................................................................................. 21Tutoring the Tudors: Education .................................................................. 21Dying in Tudor England ................................................................................ 22Coping with Crime ........................................................................................ 23Acting Up ........................................................................................................ 24

Pleasing the crowd .............................................................................. 25Hum me a few bars: Tudor music ...................................................... 25Strictly . . . Tudor style ........................................................................ 26

Suits You, Sir .................................................................................................. 26

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The Tudors For Dummies xiiChapter 2: Starting a Dynasty: Henry VII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Becoming King ............................................................................................... 29Escaping the fallout of the Wars of the Roses .................................. 29Hanging out in France ......................................................................... 30Securing the throne ............................................................................. 32Bucking for the throne ........................................................................ 32Angling for French support ................................................................ 33Killing a king: Bosworth Field, 1485 ................................................... 34

Making a Fresh Start ...................................................................................... 35Reckoning Henry .................................................................................. 35Reckoning England .............................................................................. 36Removing everything to do with Richard . . . .................................. 37Handing out the honours .................................................................... 37Positioning Parliament ........................................................................ 37Getting married .................................................................................... 39

Ruling the Kingdom ....................................................................................... 39Choosing the right men ....................................................................... 40Rousting the rebels: Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck ............ 40Pursuing peace and prosperity .......................................................... 41Figuring out fi nances ........................................................................... 48

Meeting Henry, the Human ........................................................................... 49Passing On at the Palace ............................................................................... 50

Part II: Handling Henry VIII ....................................... 53

Chapter 3: Being Bluff King Hal: Henry VIII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Getting to Know Prince Henry ..................................................................... 55Rocking round the cradle ................................................................... 55Educating Henry: Tutors for Tudors ................................................. 56Moving up after Arthur’s death.......................................................... 57

Seeking Riches and Power ............................................................................ 57Taking on the French ........................................................................... 58Fencing with Francis I .......................................................................... 59Putting on a sideshow ......................................................................... 60Fighting the French (again!)................................................................ 61

Making Politics Personal .............................................................................. 61Playing Away from Home ............................................................................. 62

Playing away I – the other Boleyn girl ............................................... 63Playing away II – Bessie Blount ......................................................... 63

Leading an Active Life: Henry’s Hobbies .................................................... 63Jousting for boys and men.................................................................. 64A-hunting he would go ........................................................................ 64I’ll see your three castles and raise you! .......................................... 64‘Who but my lady greensleeves?’ ...................................................... 65Did you hear the one about . . . ? ....................................................... 66

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xiii Table of Contents

Growing Old (Not So) Gracefully: The Ageing Henry VIII ......................... 66Climb up on my knee, sonny boy! ...................................................... 67Unwieldy lies the body that wears the crown .................................. 67The king is dead – long live the king ................................................. 68

Chapter 4: Running the Kingdom, Henry’s Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Managing Like a Monarch ............................................................................. 69Getting in your face ............................................................................. 69Who calls the shots? ............................................................................ 70Trying to go it alone ............................................................................ 70

Meeting the King’s Advisers ......................................................................... 72Working with Wolsey........................................................................... 72Carrying on with Cromwell ................................................................. 76

Telling Friend from Foe ................................................................................. 78Offending Henry ................................................................................... 79Meeting Henry’s enemies .................................................................... 79

Selling the Image ............................................................................................ 81Painting power ..................................................................................... 81Refl ecting greatness in buildings ....................................................... 82Punching above his weight ................................................................. 82

Chapter 5: Six Weddings and Two Funerals: Henry VIII’s Wives and Girlfriends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Courting Catherine of Aragon ...................................................................... 84Joining Team Tudor ............................................................................. 84Striking a match ................................................................................... 85Making babies, losing babies.............................................................. 85Hitting the rocks .................................................................................. 86Hedging his Bess .................................................................................. 87

Getting Heady with Anne Boleyn ................................................................. 87Courting commotion .......................................................................... 87Getting his own way – to hell ............................................................. 88Déjà vu .................................................................................................. 89Falling out of love: A losing game ...................................................... 90Punishing Anne: Off with her head! .................................................. 90

Marrying Jane Seymour ................................................................................ 92Plain Jane .............................................................................................. 92It’s a boy! ............................................................................................... 92Taking leave: A dying shame .............................................................. 93

Tripping Up with Anne of Cleves ................................................................. 93Making a big mistake ........................................................................... 94Dealing with the fallout ....................................................................... 94Getting another divorce ...................................................................... 95

Lusting After Catherine Howard .................................................................. 95Falling for a temptress......................................................................... 95Pushing the limits ................................................................................ 96Reaching the end of the line ............................................................... 96

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