One of the best-known figures of British history, collective memory of Henry VIII presents us with the image of a corpulent, covetous, and cunning king whose appetite for worldly goods met few parallels, whose wives met infamously premature ends, and whose religion was ever political in intent.
1536 - focusing on a pivotal year in the life of the King - reveals a fuller portrait of this complex monarch, detailing the finer shades of humanity that have so long been overlooked. We discover that in 1536 Henry met many failures - physical, personal, and political - and emerged from them a revolutionary new king who proceeded to transform a nation and reform a religion.
A compelling story, the effects of which are still with us today, 1536 shows what a profound difference can be made merely by changing the heart of a king.
One of the best-known figures of British history, collective memory of Henry VIII presents us with the image of a corpulent, covetous, and cunning king whose appetite for worldly goods met few parallels, whose wives met infamously premature ends, and whose religion was ever political in intent.
1536 - focusing on a pivotal year in the life of the King - reveals a fuller portrait of this complex monarch, detailing the finer shades of humanity that have so long been overlooked. We discover that in 1536 Henry met many failures - physical, personal, and political - and emerged from them a revolutionary new king who proceeded to transform a nation and reform a religion.
A compelling story, the effects of which are still with us today, 1536 shows what a profound difference can be made merely by changing the heart of a king.
Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Illustrations 11
Preface 13
PART ONE – Setting the Scene 17
Prologue 19
Chapter 1. The Change 23
Chapter 2. Young Henry 27
Chapter 3. The Divorce 36
Chapter 4. 1536 and All That 43
PART TWO – The Crisis of Masculinity 47
Chapter 5. A Wife’s Death 50
Chapter 6. The King’s Honour 55
Chapter 7. The Fall of Anne Boleyn 65
Chapter 8. A Dearth of Heirs 90
Chapter 9. Masculinity and Image 95
PART THREE – The King’s Religion 105
Chapter 10. The Reformation in England 109
Chapter 11. 1536: The Church Established 113
Chapter 12. The Role of Henry VIII in Later Reformation 126
Chapter 13. Henry VIII’s Theology 136
Chapter 14. The Aftermath of the Reformation 141
PART FOUR – Henry the Tyrant 145
Chapter 15. The Pilgrimage of Grace 149
Chapter 16. The Mouldwarp Prophecy 172
Chapter 17. Courtly Dissent 178
Chapter 18. Did Henry VIII Become a Tyrant? 183
Epilogue 204
Appendix 1 Timeline of 1536 210
Appendix 2 Henry VIII’s Wives 212
Appendix 3 The Cost of Living in Henry VIII’s Reign 213
Notes 216
Further Reading 231
Index 234
A revolutionary slice-of-life biography of one of England's most fascinating monarchs
Dr Suzannah Lipscomb is an historian, author, broadcaster and
award-winning academic.
Suzannah holds a BA (Hons) First in History and M.St.
inHistorical Research from Lincoln College, Oxford, and a D.Phil.
in History from Balliol College, Oxford. Following posts as
Research Curator atHampton Court Palace, Lecturer in Early Modern
History at the Universityof East Anglia, Senior Lecturer in Early
Modern History and Fellow of the New College of the Humanities,
London (NCH) and, additionally, Head of the Faculty of History from
2011-2016, she is now Reader in Early Modern History at the
University of Roehampton,a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
and Govenor of Epsom College (where she was educated).
Suzannah has presented historical documentaries on BBC4, ITV,
Channel 5 andNational Geographic Channel, and writes a regular
column for History Today. Suzannah is the author of six
books. Notably, the pioneering Lion book, 1536: The Year
that Changed Henry VIII.
Suzannah is an award-winning academic, and has recieved the
following awards: AHRC Humanities in the Creative Economy Award
2011, Museums Heritage Award for Excellence 2012, and the Nancy
Roelker Prize 2012.
Suzannah is an award-winning podcast presenter, and has recieved
the Silver Award or Best Branded Contentat the British Podcast
Awards 2018 for -Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places-
with Historic England. She is also an accomplished public speaker,
and has given many keynote and invited public lectures all over the
world, from the USA to Singapore. She also speaks regularly at
literary festivals, and at universities and schools. In 2016, she
founded History Masterclass with Dr Sam Willis to create intimate,
interactive opportunities for the public to learn about history
from leading historians.
"The paradox of Henry VIII is brilliantly unravelled by Suzannah
Lipscomb as she reveals the multiple nightmares of the King's annus
horribilis.
*Peter Furtado, former Editor of History Today*
"Fresh and lively, historically accurate and also entertaining...
gives a chatty, original, readable and engaging account of the
personal and political transformation of the man, the kingdom and
the legend"
*Lucy Wooding, TLS*
"A bold and original attempt to unravel one of the great mysteries
of English history: how, when and why Henry VIII changes from a
handsome Prince Charming into a fat and loathsome Bluebeard."
*David Starkey, author of Henry: Virtuous Prince and Six Wives: The
Queens of Henry VIII*
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