‘The Queen and the Heretic’ is a highly readable account of how the religious changes in England during the reign of Henry VIII influenced the lives of his sixth Queen Katherine Parr, and Anne Askew, who was burnt for her beliefs.
While much is known about the later lives of these two women, Wilson looks at their backgrounds, how both were affected by the Pilgrimage of Grace and the paths they took to both end up in precarious positions in London in the summer of 1546. As the old King played different groups off against each other in the jostle for power during the dying months of his reign, Anne Askew and the Queen were caught up in their games.
Wilson quotes from the writings of both women and this and his in-depth analysis of their work, clearly shows their beliefs, the different ways in which the followed their faith and the influence that the two women had on people around them.
A must read for those wanting to know more the religious changes of Henry’s reign and how they influenced these two very different women.
Thank you to Lion Books for my review copy.
