Today I would like to bring two books to your attention: “Jane Seymour” and “Henry VIII” by David Loades. Both books were sent to me by the wonderful staff at Amberley Publishing. Thank you for the great read!
“JANE SEYMOUR”
Jane Seymour is an interesting character because she is remembered chiefly as Henry VIII’s most beloved wife who gave him a son. Considering that Henry’s two previous wives were abandoned due to the inability of having a male child, Jane is the one who succeeded where her predecessors (and successors) have failed. Unfortunately, Jane Seymour died shortly after the birth and we don’t know if she would have become more powerful or decisive had she survived.
There is not much known about the short life of Jane Seymour, but David Loades did a great job sketching Jane’s life at court, her relationship with her family and royal husband. I especially enjoyed the section where author discusses Jane’s relations with her predecessor, Anne Boleyn. Because Jane was Anne’s maid-of-honour (just as Anne was Catherine of Aragon’s maid), there was a lot of tension between the two women, especially when it became obvious that Henry VIII fell in love with Jane.
David Loades puts emphasis on Jane Seymour’s origins, family (especially two famous brothers and a son who became Edward VI) and career at court. It is a good book about a woman who is largely overlooked and often dismissed as dull.
“HENRY VIII”
details about his early life. The young Henry’s character is extensively covered as well so we learn about his love for all kinds of sports, his intellectual pursuits and his passion for the tradition of courtly love. There are several chapters covering the wars during Henry VIII’s reign so if you are looking for a political/military biography this most likely will be your cup of tea. If, from the other hand, you would like to learn more about Henry VIII as a person, you will find interesting chapters as well. Loades details Henry’s relationship with his subsequent wives and discusses their impact on his character and politics.
