Six Wives

Description

No one in history had a more eventful career in matrimony than Henry VIII. His marriages were daring and tumultuous, and made instant legends of six very different women. In this remarkable study, David Starkey argues that the king was not a depraved philanderer but someone seeking happiness — and a son. Knowingly or not, he elevateda group of women to extraordinary heights and changed the way a nation was governed.

Six Wives is a masterful work of history that intimately examines the rituals of diplomacy, marriage, pregnancy, and religion that were part of daily life for women at the Tudor Court. Weaving new facts and fresh interpretations into a spellbinding account of the emotional drama surrounding Henry’s six marriages, David Starkey reveals the central role that the queens played in determining policy. With an equally keen eye for romantic and political intrigue, he brilliantly recaptures the story of Henry’s wives and the England they ruled.

“Exciting. … Very acute. … It is so gripping that one finishes it wishing it were even longer.” “Extraordinary. . . . With each queen, Starkey offers a vivid character study.” “Acute and imaginative. … [Starkey’s] communication of subtle points in simple and vivid language is masterly.” “Brilliant. … Six Wives provides an intriguing new perspective on this key period in English history.” “Truly, this is history made as fluent and compelling as excellent fiction.” “[An] impressive biography. . . . [Starkey’s] language is fresh, alive, current. . . . Possibly the greatest strength of Starkey’s work is that he remains steadfastly focused on these six women . . . revealing much about them that was previously unknown and unfathomed, but also disproving many of the prominent myths.”

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