David Starkey

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.

The Queens of Henry VIII

Six Wives

Jeni Enjaian

I so wanted to like this book. I really did. Throughout the book I found myself absolutely fascinated by the history. I wanted (and still want) to learn as much as I possibly can about everything mentioned in the book. I loved making connections with other things I've learned (like my History of the Reformation class back in grad school). I learned so much from this book; I just wish the historical scholarship/historiography was better.

Here are the things that I disliked about Starkey's handling of the narrative. First, Starkey comes off as a know-it-all. All these previous historians though such-and-such but really I know better and the situation was actually such-and-such. (This happened many times throughout the book.) Second, his narrative is not impartial when it comes to his opinion on each wife. The section on Catherine Parr reeks of preferential treatment. (Don't get me started on how much Starkey assumed in that part.) Third, the narrative often veered away from the life of each particular queen to deal with exposition of other major events that happened to occur while each queen lived, very distracting. 

This book could have been written so much better.

I will say one thing in defense of Starkey. Other reviews mention the lopsided attention that he pays to Catherine of Aragon in comparison to others, Anne of Cleves for instance. I don't find fault in that. Catherine of Aragon was Henry's wife for more than two decades. Anne of Cleves held that title for less than a year.

In conclusion, the topic is fascinating but the historiography is lacking. I will recommend this book with a caveat. When I find another more suitable, better written book, I will transfer my recommendation to that one.

Ley Stanton

Kelsey Lucero

Sheila

Deborah Meades

"Catherine of Aragon, the pious Spanish Catholic who suffered years of miscarriages and failed to produce a male heir; Anne Boleyn, the pretty, clever, French-educated 'Protestant' whose marriage to Henry changed England forever; Jane Seymour, the demure and submissive contrast to Anne's radical and vampish style; Anne of Cleves, 'the Mare of Flanders' whose short marriage to the over-weight Henry followed a farcical 'beauty contest'; Catherine Howard, the flirtatious teenager whose adulteries made a fool of the ageing King; Catherine Parr, the shrewd, religiously radical bluestocking who outlived him... In this dazzling study, David Starkey gives a richly textured picture of daily life at the Tudor Court from the woman's point of view. Above all, he establishes the interaction of the private and public, and demonstrates how the Queens of Henry VIII were central in determining political policy."

Six Wives The Queens of Henry VIII

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