‘Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era’ aims to focus on the life stages of women and the differences experienced by these women due to their social standing.
McElroy divides up women’s lives into 9 sections: growing up, adolescence, brides, married life, motherhood, working women, recreation, widowhood and wills left by women. I particularly enjoyed the sections on growing up, brides and working women.
While the educations received by Elizabeth I and Lady Jane Grey are well documented, what was really interesting to learn about were the different educational establishments available such as Dame schools and petty schools, which girls could attend when not helping their families.
Katherine and Mary Grey are both known for falling foul of Elizabeth I for marrying without consent, but the author highlights that the records show that this was a particular problem among the middle classes but that the lower classes could not afford to bring court proceedings.
I hadn’t realised how many roles were available to women, that children could be apprenticed by the parish as young as 4 or that this was one of 3 types of service, the others being a contract in husbandry and domestic service.
I would say that McElroy certainly succeeds in her aim, as I came away with a clear understanding of what life was like for Tudor women.
Thank you to Pen and Sword and Net Galley for my review copy
‘Mary I: Queen of Sorrows’ is the sort of book where you look forward to your morning commute, as it gives you a chance to read more!
Alison Weir has taken the well-known events of the reigns of the Tudors and shown them as Mary’s story from beloved Princess to illegitimate daughter, the dangers of being Catholic heir to the throne during her brother’s reign, her courage in fighting for the throne and the difficulties she faced as Queen.
In doing so, Weir has portrayed a very human Mary and crafted a compelling tale, while not shying away from the horrors of her reign.
Thank you to Headline Review and Net Galley for my review copy
‘1000 Tudor People’ is a must have for anyone with an interest in the Tudor period. Included in the 1000 are royalty, consorts, nobility and ordinary people.
As well as biographies, this richly illustrated book covers a wealth of other information including life in the Tudor world, a comprehensive time line of events, family trees of the royal and leading noble families and lists of Archbishops, Lord Chancellors and Knights of the Garter.
The biographies include Lady Jane, her sisters, Katherine and Mary, her parents, her in-laws and some of her brothers and sisters in-law.
This will take pride of place on my Tudor bookshelves.
Thank you to Graffeg Books for my review copy
‘Tudor Feminists’ looks at the lives of 10 women ranging from royalty (Queens and a potential heir to the throne) to landowners to a pirate. What these women have in common is that each in their own way can be seen to have fought against the restrictions placed on them by society.
By focussing on how they did this, the author presents a different perspective on the familiar lives of Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. I found it particularly interesting to learn more about Margaret Pole, Amelia Lanier and Grainne O’Malley and am always glad to see Arbella Stuart included.
If you want a brief but fascinating introduction to these women, then this is an excellent place to start.
Thank you to Net Galley and Pen and Sword for my review copy
In ‘Young Elizabeth: Princess, Prisoner, Queen’ we follow Elizabeth on her perilous path to the throne. Her journey is brought vividly to life through a superb narrative combined with meticulous research.
To get there she had to survive the reigns of her father, her half-brother, and her half-sister. Elizabeth was declared illegitimate by Henry VIII, overlooked by Edward VI when he left the crown to Lady Jane Grey and implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion during Mary I’s reign, when Elizabeth came close to sharing the fate of the nine day’s queen.
Tallis’s portrait of Elizabeth is a must read which gives the reader greater understanding of the Queen she became.
Thank you to Net Galley and Michael O’Mara Books for my review copy.
