{PDF} Young and Damned and Fair: the Life and Tragedy of Catherine

YOUNG AND DAMNED AND FAIR: THE LIFE AND TRAGEDY OF CATHERINE HOWARD AT THE COURT OF HENRY VIII PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

But there's no agenda here: Russell neither seeks to restore Catherine's good name at the expense of the various men who abused and exploited her, nor does he slander hers and dismiss her on account of her actions at Lambeth and later at court. Instead Russell truly seeks to consider Catherine objectively and carefully and come to understand her, and that he does so means we do so as well, and all the better than I was consistently entertained and informed throughout. Russell is able to situate Catherine's circumstances and character against the larger backdrop of daily life and expectations for the aristocrats and courtiers of Tudor England, and brings forth a fully imagined world with its rules and laws, writ and unspoken and revised, made by God, man, and sometimes both, and how and why Catherine's eventual downfall could only come to pass from a particular set of political and social circumstances of Henry VIII's court. And as good as his early chapters are, tracing Catherine's early childhood and coming of age and early predilections for lightly bending or bucking the established codes of conduct, his reconstruction of the whirlwind of activity and investigation is absolutely fantastic. While Catherine shared the fate of her cousin, Anne Boleyn, and the downfalls of both queens cost men their lives, Russell shows just how diligently and thoroughly and carefully the king's counsellors proceeded with the inquest into Catherine's relations with Dereham, and later with Culpeper, in stark contrast to the Boleyn proceedings in which by some contemporary and most modern sources show just how politically engineered Anne's downfall was. And even then, without a retroactively applying attainder that applied to Catherine's actions and more insidiously her intentions, Catherine may never have been executed. We also get fascinating insights into Catherine's character, something rarely introduced beyond the broad biographical strokes in many other popular histories of the period or Tudor fiction. We see Catherine's extreme aversion to being slighted, her preferred role as pursued and then empowered to end her own affairs. We see Catherine's insecurities about performing the role and duties as queen to perfection, especially since Henry's fourth wife Anne of Cleves still lives and somewhat intimidates and threatens her, and her devotion to ensuring all her public displays are executed flawlessly and gracefully. We see how a girl of little personal means though with a good family name immediately pays back Dereham as soon as she begins to advance at court, wishing to no longer be in debt and release ties to him and move forward to her new place in the world. We see a bit of her stubborn and cruel side in her interactions with Lady Mary, Henry's daughter, and Catherine has two of Mary's maids dismissed again a bit outside prevailing social codes of conduct. And we also see her wish to be liked and well-regarded, and the eventual fragile truce and exchange of presents between Catherine and Mary nod to that as well. Catherine Howard is fully realized in Russell's hands: a woman in a difficult age, a woman of an important aristocratic family but neither a willing tool nor an innocent pawn of their plots for power, and her downfall a thing of circumstance, bad luck, and poor decision making in one: Russell neither blames nor absolves her, but shows perfectly how truly tragic Catherine's tale is, and how difficult it was to thrive and survive some of the schizophrenic political winds of the time and political and personal will of the king for a flawed human like Catherine. I'd love to read future biographies by Russell, whether Tudor centric or otherwise, and heartily recommend this book to Tudor enthusiasts looking for something new, authoritative and truly objective, in a time where so many books come with preconceived notions and evidence is outlined to reinforce existing prejudices or stacked to support one theory above all: instead take the journey with Russell and come to know Catherine Howard in life and death. View all 20 comments. This man child of a king has discarded precious wives like used candy wrappers, and keeps his court in a state of fear. He rewards greatly but punishes in horrific ways. One probably would not be reading this unless they were a Tudor fan or have a interest in this much married King and his unfortunate wives. Catherine Howard was the last to lose her head, but why 3. Catherine Howard was the last to lose her head, but why she did, when the King was so obviously besotted, the things she did wrong and if in anyway her fate could have had a different ending is the subject of this book. It is well done, almost exhaustively so, many details, at times I thought too many as the author takes many side roads, exhaling the background of anyone important that came in contact with her whether they led to her downfall or not. There were some new details, things I hadn't read previously, some new ways of looking at things, so this was well worth the read. Liked how the author explained the political intrigues at the time, Catherine's daily life, and her childhood. A childhood, which in the end, her poor decisions or youthful mistakes, would prove to be impossible to overcome. A good, solid addition to the Tudor lexicon. ARC from Simon and Schuster. View all 8 comments. Feb 20, Kathryn rated it it was amazing. But I've enjoyed reading Gareth Russell's blog and one or two of his previous books, so when I received an advance copy of Young, Damned and Fair thank you to the publisher! I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. Russell has that quality I so love in historical biographers of being even-handed and non-judgemental, and while he's clearly sympathetic to Catherine, he doesn't go too far in the opposite direction and gush all over her or act as though she was some kind of perfect saint. He also has a knack of looking at what seem to be well-established 'facts' with a fresh and original perspective. Things you think you know about Catherine, such as her relationships with Manox and Dereham or her presumed foolish habit of taking people who knew too much about said relationships into her household as queen, are examined and dissected and shown to be rather less than certain 'facts' after all. I do love biographies that demolish long-held and cherished myths about historical figures as fiction, or at least as exaggeration. As well as being a remarkably detailed biography of Catherine - my goodness, I've learnt so much about her and decided I like her a great deal, when previously I was completely 'meh' - Russell's work is a vivid portrayal of the world she lived in, the high society of Tudor England with its obsession with etiquette, ritual and formality, a world in the throes of religious reformation, the fascinating and frightening later years of Henry VIII's reign. Russell has also done a considerable amount of research on Queen Catherine's household, much of it contained in an appendix, which I'm sure will be of great value to future writers and researchers. There's also a very long and thorough bibliography, and everything is scrupulously footnoted proper footnotes with actual page numbers so you can check the sources yourself. In short, it's rigorously academic but also highly readable; it's not often I stay up late into the night to read non-fiction because I can't bear to put it down, but I did with this one. Young, Damned and Fair is everything a historical biography should be. Highly recommended. View all 6 comments. May 26, Louise rated it it was amazing Shelves: british- bio-hist , biography. Catherine was then sent as a ward to the estate of her step-grandmother to be prepared for court life. By day she learned the art of conversation, music, protocol, obedience and ceremony. Other young wards lived there too in close quarters; their evenings were unsupervised. Catherine was beautiful and popular. It was here, in the care of the Duchess of Norfolk, that the seeds for her rise and downfall were sown. This teenager had a household of over staff. She had 6 or was it 8? She probably knew little of the varying strategic importance of Cleves or of Archbishop Crammer motives. Russell introduces new to me elements: He ties the Cromwell downfall to the Howards and that some of the blame fell on Catherine. In many places Russell interjects the distrust people had for Henry and his cruelty. On the last page Russell calls Catherine's career a "window into the mesmerizing brutality of Henrican England. After the Pilgrimage of Grace, Henry thought he could build support by bringing the court and a military display to the area. While there he had hoped to meet the King of Scotland his nephew but James was coy. Russell shows how they traveled, what they brought, the game they hunted and the many places they stayed. Some who testified to avoid torture were rewarded with beheading. Catherine received no guidance and surely did not understand her legal position. Her father, one of many children in the time of primogeniture, had to fend for himself. She seemed to be pretty much on her own with little no? Catherine clearly did not learn the high value placed on chastity for noble women. You have to wonder what she was told of her cousin, Anne Boleyn. There are good color plates and a discussion about the provenance of the paintings attributed to Catherine. The genealogy charts are clear. The notes are extensive. Recommended for Tudor readers. View 2 comments. Feb 23, Claire Ridgway rated it it was amazing. This is now my go-to book on Catherine Howard. It is detailed, meticulously researched and well-referenced. It also has the benefit of Gareth's engaging reading style. Apr 25, Orsolya rated it it was amazing Shelves: queens , tudor-england , library , henry-viii-s-wives , history. Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, is generally portrayed as the young, superficial, fluttery, promiscuous, stupid, slut of the six wives. Although her image has been receiving some rehabilitation; it rather continues in this strain. At first, Russell is certainly heavy-handed in this stylistic tactic and seems to barely discuss Catherine more so focusing on the Tudor history around her. On the other hand, the infused moments of pure Catherine glory are insightful and captivating even for those familiar with her story. This lays the foundation of a strong piece. Similar studies would be brushed off as lacking direction but with ascending page, Russell gets better-and-better. Russell leaves the writing on a strong note both with the content and stylistically. This is not only suitable but quite memorable. View all 4 comments. Dec 21, Adrienne Dillard rated it it was amazing Shelves: read-in Note-Perfect Since that frigid day in when Queen Katherine Howard ascended the scaffold to her death, the life of this tragic figure has been poked and prodded, twisted and stretched to fit into whatever narrative is in vogue. A tart or a victim? Desperate or arrogant? We may not ever know the truth of what happened between the queen and her husband's gentleman or her motivations for the relationship, but Gareth Russell's finely drawn portrait of this oft misun Note-Perfect Since that frigid day in when Queen Katherine Howard ascended the scaffold to her death, the life of this tragic figure has been poked and prodded, twisted and stretched to fit into whatever narrative is in vogue. We may not ever know the truth of what happened between the queen and her husband's gentleman or her motivations for the relationship, but Gareth Russell's finely drawn portrait of this oft misunderstood woman seeks to tease out the answers and offers readers a tantalizing glimpse of the true Katherine; a complex human buried beneath a mountain of archetypes. As someone who collects nearly every book on the subject of the Tudors in the name of research, I often find myself reading the same details in every tome and it becomes easy to wonder what can be rediscovered after so many historians have regurgitated the same facts over and over again. If you feel that way as well, then I must insist that you get your grubby paws on this book, post haste! Russell breathes new life into the Tudor world as we know it and I found myself eagerly devouring every delectable morsel, only becoming aware at the end of the page that I had just learned at least five new things without even realizing it. His observations of the machinations that led to her downfall are thoroughly considered and vetted through the most accurate resources and they are never colored through his own life experience as a man in the 21st century. His voice is omniscient and unprejudiced, as all historians' should be, yet it's clear that he intimately understands the way that Katherine's mind, as a woman of the 16th century, operates. Most impressively, Russell walks that fine line of academic and popular history with expert precision. Young, Damned, and Fair is stunning and it will make the reader sit up and take notice of this exceptional historian. Gareth Russell is a fount of historical knowledge and I can't wait to see he gifts us with next. View 1 comment. Having recently finished the Wolf Hall trilogy, I was craving some more Tudor history and turned from fiction, to fact. This begins where that, fictional, work, finished, with the execution of Cromwell incidentally, the same day that Henry married Catherine and, as such, continued the narrative in my mind. After the death of Jane Seymour, mother of his son, Edward, He Having recently finished the Wolf Hall trilogy, I was craving some more Tudor history and turned from fiction, to fact. It was a disaster, and Henry, as was his way, cast around for a way to rid himself of what he saw as a distasteful union. Having done so and packed her off, to live comfortably out of sight, he already had his sights on young Catherine. The details of their courtship are quite bare, but, at some point, she had caught his eye — young, slim and pretty — and he quickly made her his next Queen. In a similar way to Anne Boleyn, with Henry Percy, this was seen as serious enough to be considered a pre-contract. Although the author considers suggestions that Catherine was a victim, who fell prey to older, this is discounted — certainly in the case of Dereham - and the author argues that there is enough evidence to imply that the relationships were consensual. Catherine was, it must be remembered, very young at this time and still a teenager when she married Henry. Although Russell does not accept that she was a victim, he is sympathetic to her plight, as a very young woman, who was indiscreet and immature. Sadly, this indiscretion was dangerous, especially with a volatile and insecure Henry. Undoubtedly, this book does make Catherine come alive. A young woman who, despite her rash behaviour, seemed to be kind and thoughtful. Catherine could have took joy in her success at winning the king from her, and made Anne feel her failure, but she pressed gifts onto her and tried to put her at ease. She was young, but foolish, rather than wilful or spiteful. Henry, though, was not a forgiving man. Overall, a really fascinating, well written and gripping biography and I am glad I read it and learnt more than this young, and so often over-looked, Queen. Jan 31, BAM The Bibliomaniac rated it really liked it Shelves: own , e-book , british-nonfiction , notorious-women , net-galley. Shout out to Simon and Schuster and Gareth Russell for the opportunity to read this book and offer an unbiased review. She was probably about 18 years old; he was middle aged , obese, and ulcerated. A match made in heaven. Catherine was a grandchild of the Duke of Norfolk and was brought up in the home of her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess, a grossly negligent chaperone. She was reared w Shout out to Simon and Schuster and Gareth Russell for the opportunity to read this book and offer an unbiased review. She was reared with proper manners and poise but could be intemperate and impatient especially when her pride was insulted. Having grown up under the shadow of her cousin Anne Boleyn's execution, one would have thought she would have been more prudent. Alas, no lessons were learned. In Young and Damned and Fair we read in great detail of the feckless behavior of an immature girl who who was not prepared to be a queen but was also not a pawn. Russell meticulously researches her journey from poor relation to pinnacle and back keeping to a smooth narrative style timeline. Excellent work, Russel! I think nonfiction has discovered a new talent. This review can also be found here! Color me impressed by this book. It takes Catherine Howard, a woman who has been maligned by historians throughout the years, and turns her into a fleshed out person while not absolutely boring me in the process. She was interesting. She had a personality. In some ways, she reminded me of myself. A penchant for getting things right, for not wanting to embarrass herself in front of everyone. And she got upset when someone did embarrass her in any way. Russell structured giving her personality around explaining the history of her family and the times that they were in, showing how one influenced the other. I thought it was a bit heavy on explaining the history of those around her as opposed to her personal history, which is why I rated it four stars. In short, this book was beautifully written seriously, it was for a history book that challenged what has been said about Catherine Howard both in the past and now. He directly challenges quite a few theories and addresses various things by showing the logical conclusion. He shows what evidence is disregarded to get to those theories, then comes up with his own. I found this to be a very refreshing book, one that I want to own and come back to one day to have a closer read. Another so so so so good book I finished within a couple days. Again, I am faced with the challenge of writing a proper review, seeing as how I barely stopped to take any notes during the course of my reading. THAT should definitely tell you something at least. Really fantastic look at Catherine Howard as a person, not just the flighty, moron she is so often portrayed as. Full review to come. Feb 21, James rated it it was amazing. A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. This is more than a biography of Catherine. It is a study of the world of Catherine Howard. From her family background to the workings of the Tudor court. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, as well as family trees. Russell deals with the many theories around Catherine, her upbringing, relationships pre-Henry and whether or not she and Culpepper consummated their relationship. Providing thorough evidence for both sides of the argument, before stating his own theory backed up by meticulous evidence. Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. However, to me it started off as a star book, it was interesting and focused on Catherine. Yet, as I went on, I felt the book lost focus and became more of a story about Henry VIII, or became heavily sidetracked by every single person who would be mentioned, giving their entire history. Over Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. Overall, it was just too sidetracked with telling everything else that I feel I know little to nothing more about Catherine Howard than I did before I began reading, which was very little. Mar 07, Margaret rated it really liked it Shelves: biography-autobiography , challenge. It is even handed, extremely well written, and leavened with a dry wit. I learned a few things I didn't know about Catherine, her life and her death. Highly recommended to all those interested in the Tudor period, and the personalities of the Henrician court. I enjoy English history a great deal. It can be dry and boring in certain respects but for the most part it is fully illustrative of every vice and character flaw known to human nature. There is murder in every imaginable form, sex, intrigue, comedy, disloyalty, cowardice, and in virtually every generation. The only other history that compares is that of the Catholic Church which I also enjoy reading. After Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, dies giving birth to Edward VI Henry finds himself with a bedroom vacancy and he is not one to tolerate loneliness. Thomas Cromwell, Henry's trusted advisor and fixer searches for a suitable political match for his king. Eventually, Anne of Cleves, a German noblewoman, is designated as a suitable match and a political asset as her brother is in a position to make things difficult for France should war become necessary. But this isn't meant to be a love match, it's politics so Henry goes through with the wedding but the marriage is a bust. When the continental war possibilities are pacified and Cleves' usefulness is no longer needed then neither is his sister. A bureaucratic maneuver is made to have the marriage with Anne annulled in very short order and Anne is rather richly bought off quietly settled at the Palace of Richmond outside London. Once again Henry has an empty bed and goes on the hunt but this time Cromwell is no longer available and will soon lose his head, a common occurrence during Henry's reign. Henry lays eyes on a new addition to his court a young, very young, lady in waiting and niece to one of the two most senior noblemen in England, the Duke of Norfolk. The lady is Catherine Howard. Catherine's age is uncertain but it is universally regarded to be quite young, probably not 20 when the king notices her and takes a fancy to this very lovely girl. What Henry wants Henry gets and it doesn't take a great deal to get Catherine and on the day Cromwell meets the headsman at the Tower Catherine weds Henry. In contemporary terms Catherine would probably be regarded as the trophy wife of a grossly overweight middle-aged man that happens to be the most powerful man in the country. Catherine is now the most powerful woman in England and she enjoys the good life but she is young and foolish and very reckless. She is also brings to court the indiscretions of earlier youthful daliances and tries to pursue romance in the backstairs of assorted palaces and manor houses in which she and her staff reside. She learns the hard way that such indiscretions in a queen are not simple matters but are capital offenses for herself, her family, and many around her including innocents. It is a sad story of a foolish girl in a world she was ill-equipped to enter and survive and whose stupidity led not only to her death but to that of many others. Catherine's story is replete with all the expected elements of English history. There is plenty of political maneuvering, quicky trials and executions, sexual trysts, oafish conduct. Now one of the drawbacks to English history is the labyrinth of family relationships that is always involved with English nobility. Of course this puzzle of parentage is present in this book but not to the usual intricate level of most such histories. In all honesty though I guess I would have to admit that unless you are interested in English history then this book would probably not appeal to you. She never reached Henry, who was at prayer in the Chapel. Guards dragged her away and she never saw Henry again. This event signalled the beginning of a period of fundamental change, as En Jump to. Sections of this page. Accessibility Help. Email or Phone Password Forgot account? Log In. Forgot account? Not Now. Visitor Posts. Holly-Eloise Walters. If you guys haven't yet I would love it if you checked out my book. It is a story all about the life of my favorite queen Anne Boleyn. A wonderful window into the mind of the iconic Anne Boleyn. Step into her world as she retells her story. We know what history has told us. But we are yet to know the woman behind the legend. Take a peek inside and see what she has to say about her life and legacy. I will have my say. Second part of our Grey discussion. Don't forget to enter our compet We also have a competition for you guys! In the podcast we talk about someone from whom Queen Elizabeth II is directly descended. Can you tell us who that is? Just as a warning there is a little slip of the F bomb in this weeks episode We're very passionate. Enjoy and please comment and contact us with any thoughts on our discussion. We all know the story of Jane Grey but how much do we really know about her younger siblings… See More. Here is our latest episode. This week we talk all about the Grey sis The second is following close behind. Young and Damned and Fair by Mr. Gareth Russell | Audiobook |

Yet the real Katherine Parr was attractive, passionate, ambitious and highly intelligent. Twice widowed, held hostage by the northern rebels during the great uprising of —37, her life had been dramatic even before she became queen. This is the first full-scale, accessible biography of this fascinating woman who was, in reality, one of the most influential and active queen consorts in English history. Get even more historical with our list of must-read medieval books. True Story Newsletter. The Errands of Morris and Webb. The Girl in the Silver Dress. Waiting for the King of Scots. Being Examined by My Lord of Canterbury. A Greater Abomination. The Queens Brothers. The Return of Francis Dereham. Ars Moriendi. Recommended for Tudor readers. View 2 comments. Feb 23, Claire Ridgway rated it it was amazing. This is now my go-to book on Catherine Howard. It is detailed, meticulously researched and well-referenced. It also has the benefit of Gareth's engaging reading style. Apr 25, Orsolya rated it it was amazing Shelves: queens , tudor-england , library , henry-viii-s-wives , history. Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, is generally portrayed as the young, superficial, fluttery, promiscuous, stupid, slut of the six wives. Although her image has been receiving some rehabilitation; it rather continues in this strain. At first, Russell is certainly heavy-handed in this stylistic tactic and seems to barely discuss Catherine more so focusing on the Tudor history around her. On the other hand, the infused moments of pure Catherine glory are insightful and captivating even for those familiar with her story. This lays the foundation of a strong piece. Similar studies would be brushed off as lacking direction but with ascending page, Russell gets better- and-better. Russell leaves the writing on a strong note both with the content and stylistically. This is not only suitable but quite memorable. View all 4 comments. Dec 21, Adrienne Dillard rated it it was amazing Shelves: read-in Note-Perfect Since that frigid day in when Queen Katherine Howard ascended the scaffold to her death, the life of this tragic figure has been poked and prodded, twisted and stretched to fit into whatever narrative is in vogue. A tart or a victim? Desperate or arrogant? We may not ever know the truth of what happened between the queen and her husband's gentleman or her motivations for the relationship, but Gareth Russell's finely drawn portrait of this oft misun Note-Perfect Since that frigid day in when Queen Katherine Howard ascended the scaffold to her death, the life of this tragic figure has been poked and prodded, twisted and stretched to fit into whatever narrative is in vogue. We may not ever know the truth of what happened between the queen and her husband's gentleman or her motivations for the relationship, but Gareth Russell's finely drawn portrait of this oft misunderstood woman seeks to tease out the answers and offers readers a tantalizing glimpse of the true Katherine; a complex human buried beneath a mountain of archetypes. As someone who collects nearly every book on the subject of the Tudors in the name of research, I often find myself reading the same details in every tome and it becomes easy to wonder what can be rediscovered after so many historians have regurgitated the same facts over and over again. If you feel that way as well, then I must insist that you get your grubby paws on this book, post haste! Russell breathes new life into the Tudor world as we know it and I found myself eagerly devouring every delectable morsel, only becoming aware at the end of the page that I had just learned at least five new things without even realizing it. His observations of the machinations that led to her downfall are thoroughly considered and vetted through the most accurate resources and they are never colored through his own life experience as a man in the 21st century. His voice is omniscient and unprejudiced, as all historians' should be, yet it's clear that he intimately understands the way that Katherine's mind, as a woman of the 16th century, operates. Most impressively, Russell walks that fine line of academic and popular history with expert precision. Young, Damned, and Fair is stunning and it will make the reader sit up and take notice of this exceptional historian. Gareth Russell is a fount of historical knowledge and I can't wait to see he gifts us with next. View 1 comment. Having recently finished the Wolf Hall trilogy, I was craving some more Tudor history and turned from fiction, to fact. This begins where that, fictional, work, finished, with the execution of Cromwell incidentally, the same day that Henry married Catherine and, as such, continued the narrative in my mind. After the death of Jane Seymour, mother of his son, Edward, He Having recently finished the Wolf Hall trilogy, I was craving some more Tudor history and turned from fiction, to fact. It was a disaster, and Henry, as was his way, cast around for a way to rid himself of what he saw as a distasteful union. Having done so and packed her off, to live comfortably out of sight, he already had his sights on young Catherine. The details of their courtship are quite bare, but, at some point, she had caught his eye — young, slim and pretty — and he quickly made her his next Queen. In a similar way to Anne Boleyn, with Henry Percy, this was seen as serious enough to be considered a pre-contract. Although the author considers suggestions that Catherine was a victim, who fell prey to older, this is discounted — certainly in the case of Dereham - and the author argues that there is enough evidence to imply that the relationships were consensual. Catherine was, it must be remembered, very young at this time and still a teenager when she married Henry. Although Russell does not accept that she was a victim, he is sympathetic to her plight, as a very young woman, who was indiscreet and immature. Sadly, this indiscretion was dangerous, especially with a volatile and insecure Henry. Undoubtedly, this book does make Catherine come alive. A young woman who, despite her rash behaviour, seemed to be kind and thoughtful. Catherine could have took joy in her success at winning the king from her, and made Anne feel her failure, but she pressed gifts onto her and tried to put her at ease. She was young, but foolish, rather than wilful or spiteful. Henry, though, was not a forgiving man. Overall, a really fascinating, well written and gripping biography and I am glad I read it and learnt more than this young, and so often over-looked, Queen. Jan 31, BAM The Bibliomaniac rated it really liked it Shelves: own , e-book , british-nonfiction , notorious-women , net-galley. Shout out to Simon and Schuster and Gareth Russell for the opportunity to read this book and offer an unbiased review. She was probably about 18 years old; he was middle aged , obese, and ulcerated. A match made in heaven. Catherine was a grandchild of the Duke of Norfolk and was brought up in the home of her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess, a grossly negligent chaperone. She was reared w Shout out to Simon and Schuster and Gareth Russell for the opportunity to read this book and offer an unbiased review. She was reared with proper manners and poise but could be intemperate and impatient especially when her pride was insulted. Having grown up under the shadow of her cousin Anne Boleyn's execution, one would have thought she would have been more prudent. Alas, no lessons were learned. In Young and Damned and Fair we read in great detail of the feckless behavior of an immature girl who who was not prepared to be a queen but was also not a pawn. Russell meticulously researches her journey from poor relation to pinnacle and back keeping to a smooth narrative style timeline. Excellent work, Russel! I think nonfiction has discovered a new talent. This review can also be found here! Color me impressed by this book. It takes Catherine Howard, a woman who has been maligned by historians throughout the years, and turns her into a fleshed out person while not absolutely boring me in the process. She was interesting. She had a personality. In some ways, she reminded me of myself. A penchant for getting things right, for not wanting to embarrass herself in front of everyone. And she got upset when someone did embarrass her in any way. Russell structured giving her personality around explaining the history of her family and the times that they were in, showing how one influenced the other. I thought it was a bit heavy on explaining the history of those around her as opposed to her personal history, which is why I rated it four stars. In short, this book was beautifully written seriously, it was for a history book that challenged what has been said about Catherine Howard both in the past and now. He directly challenges quite a few theories and addresses various things by showing the logical conclusion. He shows what evidence is disregarded to get to those theories, then comes up with his own. I found this to be a very refreshing book, one that I want to own and come back to one day to have a closer read. Another so so so so good book I finished within a couple days. Again, I am faced with the challenge of writing a proper review, seeing as how I barely stopped to take any notes during the course of my reading. THAT should definitely tell you something at least. Really fantastic look at Catherine Howard as a person, not just the flighty, moron she is so often portrayed as. Full review to come. Feb 21, James rated it it was amazing. A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. This is more than a biography of Catherine. It is a study of the world of Catherine Howard. From her family background to the workings of the Tudor court. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, as well as family trees. Russell deals with the many theories around Catherine, her upbringing, relationships pre-Henry and whether or not she and Culpepper consummated their relationship. Providing thorough evidence for both sides of the argument, before stating his own theory backed up by meticulous evidence. Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. However, to me it started off as a star book, it was interesting and focused on Catherine. Yet, as I went on, I felt the book lost focus and became more of a story about Henry VIII, or became heavily sidetracked by every single person who would be mentioned, giving their entire history. Over Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. Overall, it was just too sidetracked with telling everything else that I feel I know little to nothing more about Catherine Howard than I did before I began reading, which was very little. Mar 07, Margaret rated it really liked it Shelves: biography-autobiography , challenge. It is even handed, extremely well written, and leavened with a dry wit. I learned a few things I didn't know about Catherine, her life and her death. Highly recommended to all those interested in the Tudor period, and the personalities of the Henrician court. I enjoy English history a great deal. It can be dry and boring in certain respects but for the most part it is fully illustrative of every vice and character flaw known to human nature. There is murder in every imaginable form, sex, intrigue, comedy, disloyalty, cowardice, and in virtually every generation. The only other history that compares is that of the Catholic Church which I also enjoy reading. After Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, dies giving birth to Edward VI Henry finds himself with a bedroom vacancy and he is not one to tolerate loneliness. Thomas Cromwell, Henry's trusted advisor and fixer searches for a suitable political match for his king. Eventually, Anne of Cleves, a German noblewoman, is designated as a suitable match and a political asset as her brother is in a position to make things difficult for France should war become necessary. But this isn't meant to be a love match, it's politics so Henry goes through with the wedding but the marriage is a bust. When the continental war possibilities are pacified and Cleves' usefulness is no longer needed then neither is his sister. A bureaucratic maneuver is made to have the marriage with Anne annulled in very short order and Anne is rather richly bought off quietly settled at the Palace of Richmond outside London. Once again Henry has an empty bed and goes on the hunt but this time Cromwell is no longer available and will soon lose his head, a common occurrence during Henry's reign. Henry lays eyes on a new addition to his court a young, very young, lady in waiting and niece to one of the two most senior noblemen in England, the Duke of Norfolk. The lady is Catherine Howard. Catherine's age is uncertain but it is universally regarded to be quite young, probably not 20 when the king notices her and takes a fancy to this very lovely girl. What Henry wants Henry gets and it doesn't take a great deal to get Catherine and on the day Cromwell meets the headsman at the Tower Catherine weds Henry. In contemporary terms Catherine would probably be regarded as the trophy wife of a grossly overweight middle-aged man that happens to be the most powerful man in the country. Catherine is now the most powerful woman in England and she enjoys the good life but she is young and foolish and very reckless. She is also brings to court the indiscretions of earlier youthful daliances and tries to pursue romance in the backstairs of assorted palaces and manor houses in which she and her staff reside. She learns the hard way that such indiscretions in a queen are not simple matters but are capital offenses for herself, her family, and many around her including innocents. It is a sad story of a foolish girl in a world she was ill-equipped to enter and survive and whose stupidity led not only to her death but to that of many others. Catherine's story is replete with all the expected elements of English history. There is plenty of political maneuvering, quicky trials and executions, sexual trysts, oafish conduct. Now one of the drawbacks to English history is the labyrinth of family relationships that is always involved with English nobility. Of course this puzzle of parentage is present in this book but not to the usual intricate level of most such histories. In all honesty though I guess I would have to admit that unless you are interested in English history then this book would probably not appeal to you. You would also probably not be as fascinated as I was by learning about the court hierarchy and etiquette in use during this period of history. So I suppose you deserve a bit of warning regarding this book but it is still an interesting story and worth reading. Catherine Howard, the Rose Without a Thorn – Kat Devitt

We know what history has told us. But we are yet to know the woman behind the legend. Take a peek inside and see what she has to say about her life and legacy. I will have my say. Second part of our Grey discussion. Don't forget to enter our compet We also have a competition for you guys! In the podcast we talk about someone from whom Queen Elizabeth II is directly descended. Can you tell us who that is? Just as a warning there is a little slip of the F bomb in this weeks episode We're very passionate. Enjoy and please comment and contact us with any thoughts on our discussion. We all know the story of Jane Grey but how much do we really know about her younger siblings… See More. Here is our latest episode. This week we talk all about the Grey sis The second is following close behind. FM Grey sisters Part one of two. Information about Page Insights Data. On this day in , Anne of Cleves was born. Henry and Anne enjoyed a firm friendship long after their annulment. On this day in Tudor history, 7th September , just over two months after the death of his previous wife, Mary Tudor. Queen of France, forty-nine-year-old September 7 - Charles Brandon marries Catherine Willoughby. On this day in Tudor history, 1st September , Edward Alleyn, a major figure in the Elizabethan theatre, was born in the parish of St Botolph without Bish September 1 - Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn. Katherine Howard c. She then aged 16 or 17 married hi Catherine is believed to have been 17 at the youngest, while Henry was On the same day that Henry and Katherine were married, Thomas Cromwell was executed Rebecca Stradling shared a post to the group: Anne Boleyn Obsessed. Are you Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn? See More. Peter ad Vincula, the chapel within the Tower. Catherine and Jane never went to trial, instead Parliament introduced a bill on 29 January , which passed the act on 7 February The Royal Assent by Commission Act made it treason, and punishable by death, for a queen consort to fail to disclose her sexual history to the king within twenty days of their marriage, or to incite someone to commit adultery with her. Jump to. Sections of this page. Accessibility Help. Email or Phone Password Forgot account? Sign Up. Log In. Forgot account? Not Now. Related Pages. Tudor Times Education. Tudors Dynasty Podcast. The Tudor Age Education. Pages Liked by This Page.

Off With Her Head: Nonfiction About The Wives Of Henry VIII

A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. This is more than a biography of Catherine. It is a study of the world of Catherine Howard. From her family background to the workings of the Tudor court. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, A truly terrific reexamination of the life of this misunderstood and poorly perceived Queen. It includes details of the locations visited by Catherine, as well as family trees. Russell deals with the many theories around Catherine, her upbringing, relationships pre-Henry and whether or not she and Culpepper consummated their relationship. Providing thorough evidence for both sides of the argument, before stating his own theory backed up by meticulous evidence. Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. However, to me it started off as a star book, it was interesting and focused on Catherine. Yet, as I went on, I felt the book lost focus and became more of a story about Henry VIII, or became heavily sidetracked by every single person who would be mentioned, giving their entire history. Over Honestly, it pains me in a way to rate this 2 stars because you can tell it's well written and really well researched. Overall, it was just too sidetracked with telling everything else that I feel I know little to nothing more about Catherine Howard than I did before I began reading, which was very little. Mar 07, Margaret rated it really liked it Shelves: biography-autobiography , challenge. It is even handed, extremely well written, and leavened with a dry wit. I learned a few things I didn't know about Catherine, her life and her death. Highly recommended to all those interested in the Tudor period, and the personalities of the Henrician court. I enjoy English history a great deal. It can be dry and boring in certain respects but for the most part it is fully illustrative of every vice and character flaw known to human nature. There is murder in every imaginable form, sex, intrigue, comedy, disloyalty, cowardice, and in virtually every generation. The only other history that compares is that of the Catholic Church which I also enjoy reading. After Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, dies giving birth to Edward VI Henry finds himself with a bedroom vacancy and he is not one to tolerate loneliness. Thomas Cromwell, Henry's trusted advisor and fixer searches for a suitable political match for his king. Eventually, Anne of Cleves, a German noblewoman, is designated as a suitable match and a political asset as her brother is in a position to make things difficult for France should war become necessary. But this isn't meant to be a love match, it's politics so Henry goes through with the wedding but the marriage is a bust. When the continental war possibilities are pacified and Cleves' usefulness is no longer needed then neither is his sister. A bureaucratic maneuver is made to have the marriage with Anne annulled in very short order and Anne is rather richly bought off quietly settled at the Palace of Richmond outside London. Once again Henry has an empty bed and goes on the hunt but this time Cromwell is no longer available and will soon lose his head, a common occurrence during Henry's reign. Henry lays eyes on a new addition to his court a young, very young, lady in waiting and niece to one of the two most senior noblemen in England, the Duke of Norfolk. The lady is Catherine Howard. Catherine's age is uncertain but it is universally regarded to be quite young, probably not 20 when the king notices her and takes a fancy to this very lovely girl. What Henry wants Henry gets and it doesn't take a great deal to get Catherine and on the day Cromwell meets the headsman at the Tower Catherine weds Henry. In contemporary terms Catherine would probably be regarded as the trophy wife of a grossly overweight middle-aged man that happens to be the most powerful man in the country. Catherine is now the most powerful woman in England and she enjoys the good life but she is young and foolish and very reckless. She is also brings to court the indiscretions of earlier youthful daliances and tries to pursue romance in the backstairs of assorted palaces and manor houses in which she and her staff reside. She learns the hard way that such indiscretions in a queen are not simple matters but are capital offenses for herself, her family, and many around her including innocents. It is a sad story of a foolish girl in a world she was ill-equipped to enter and survive and whose stupidity led not only to her death but to that of many others. Catherine's story is replete with all the expected elements of English history. There is plenty of political maneuvering, quicky trials and executions, sexual trysts, oafish conduct. Now one of the drawbacks to English history is the labyrinth of family relationships that is always involved with English nobility. Of course this puzzle of parentage is present in this book but not to the usual intricate level of most such histories. In all honesty though I guess I would have to admit that unless you are interested in English history then this book would probably not appeal to you. You would also probably not be as fascinated as I was by learning about the court hierarchy and etiquette in use during this period of history. So I suppose you deserve a bit of warning regarding this book but it is still an interesting story and worth reading. Feb 27, Samantha Morris rated it it was amazing. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Gareth Russell at an authors event in London so when I found out that he was bringing a book out on Catherine Howard I knew I had to pick it up. And let me tell you — I am SO glad that I did. From the first word you find yourself immersed in the world of the Tudor court and that is simply because of the wealth of research that Russell has put into this work. Everything is taken as is. Here we see every character of the Tudor court with their flaws written out for all to see — these people come across as human which is incredibly rare in biographies of Catherine Howard. Either Catherine is vilified as a young teenaged whore or those she had dealings with are seen as demons who deserved everything they got. Nothing is black and white in this book. Which is precisely as it would have been. It is superbly well researched and excellently written — I can see this book opening up the door to Tudor history for a lot of people, and Gareth Russell deserves some high praise for this wonderful piece of work. Mar 17, Simon rated it really liked it. Highly enjoyable read. Russell is a good writer, and he has uncovered enough new material about Catherine to make some plausible guesses as to motivations for her behavior. However, and it is a big "however", there is simply no reason for her to have embarked upon the flirtation with Culpepper other than Catherine's youth. Well, her youth and the culpability of Jane Boleyn, who was old enough and more importantly, experienced enough with the pitfalls of Henry's court to have offered better couns Highly enjoyable read. Well, her youth and the culpability of Jane Boleyn, who was old enough and more importantly, experienced enough with the pitfalls of Henry's court to have offered better counsel than paraphrasing "Sure, kid, I'll smuggle him in to see you! She was a child, after all, and whether she wanted the two men who pursued her, and in one case slept with her, doesn't mean that she was fully capable of making an informed decision. Which brings up an interesting question. Did Henry actually know what being a female virgin was? He claims to have known that Katherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves were not intact when he married them, and was almost certainly wrong about both of them. Did Catherine herself not think he would be able to tell on their wedding night? But there are small quibbles. Russell has written a very good popular history of Catherine's life and times. Aug 02, Meredith Duran rated it it was amazing. The perils of entering a rating on your phone: this should have been five stars, not two, and I've now corrected that. I don't think I'm alone in having spared little attention to Catherine Howard, not least because less is known about her than Henry's other wives. But I thought this book did a thorough, thoughtful, and very interesting job of excavating the data and using it to weave a very sympathetic and persuasive portrait of her. I also greatly appreciated the richness of detail in Russel The perils of entering a rating on your phone: this should have been five stars, not two, and I've now corrected that. I also greatly appreciated the richness of detail in Russell's reconstruction of the everyday politics and power structure of the Queen's household. Some reviewers here have mentioned that the book felt slow. I found it a pageturner, but I'm a full-on geek for Tudor history. In fact, this book revitalized the obsession and sent me on a hunt for other recent books on the dynasty. Aug 11, Marian rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites. On the morning of July 28, , a teenager named Catherine Howard began her reign as queen of an England, simmering with rebellion and terrifying uncertainty. Sixteen months later, she would follow her cousin Anne Boleyn to the scaffold, having been convicted of adultery and high treason, but her story up until now has been incomplete.. Loved it!! View all 5 comments. Jul 25, Wendy Dunn rated it it was amazing Shelves: historical-research. Young and Damned and Fair Review. Russell has written a comprehensive illustration of 16th Century privileged life. He describes everything from clothing to jewelry and all the other small details of daily life in the royal household. The author goes on to discount some of the most popular myths about Catherine, such as the Norfolk's her family of origin , pushing her into th 5 stars Based on amazing scholarship and clear reasoning, this is a beautifully written history of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. The author goes on to discount some of the most popular myths about Catherine, such as the Norfolk's her family of origin , pushing her into the king's way. He spent a bit of time examining her servants and ladies-in-waiting, for some of them certainly had plenty to say about Catherine. Russell also examined just how big a part the Dowager Duchess aunt played in the whole drama and how much she really knew about Catherine's behavior while she lived with her. I really liked the way he carefully examined each rumor and fact that we previously understood about the young woman. He goes on to examine the volatility of King Henry VIII by this stage in his life and his mercurial temperament, as well as the politics of the time. Henry was so apt to fly into a rage at any time, it was best to keep one's head down. There are several lengthy quotes in the book, especially from various letters that still survive, including the fatal letter that Catherine sent to Thomas Culpeper. I found this book fascinating, very well researched and clearly written. There are numerous footnotes and a copious bibliography for those who wish to investigate Catherine's life further. This is my second Gareth Russell book, and I do believe that I'll read the rest of his output as soon as I am able. While I have read multiple Tudor novels, I don't really have any nitty-gritty knowledge - just more of the general facts about Henry's reign until the death of Jane Seymour. The only thing I know about Catherine Howard is that she was queen for a very short time, and that she's usually portrayed as an air-head and a ninny. It's anything but. Russell's writing is highly readable, and though I'm not w While I have read multiple Tudor novels, I don't really have any nitty-gritty knowledge - just more of the general facts about Henry's reign until the death of Jane Seymour. Russell's writing is highly readable, and though I'm not well versed in other Catherine Howard biographies, he often examines ideas and theories that have been previously taken as fact, disproving them through a logical analysis. This will no doubt make the information feel fresh and new, even to someone who has read previous biographies of the young queen. While sometimes he is not able to offer up a concrete theory or fact in its place due to the lack of information and surviving documents regarding Catherine, Russell doesn't shy away from admitting when there is simply not enough evidence to draw from. However in some cases, he proposes his own suggestions about people or events, and this is done through a detailed examination of other available documentation and the idea of what seems most likely. He also doesn't shy away from admitting that Catherine's downfall as queen was most likely brought about by her own actions, however this does not automatically equate to being an 'airhead'. While her actions perhaps were foolish, there is also a thorough exploration of her character and characteristic from what evidence that does survive. This instead suggests an elegant and well-poised young woman, whose actions as queen - with the exception of the ill-fated affair with Thomas Culpeper - were beyond reproach. I really enjoyed this one, and at times it didn't even feel like a non-fiction book. Russell managed to hold my attention right until the last page. May 10, Jessie Seymour rated it it was amazing Shelves: I've read some nonfiction over the years, but this is my first biography. And I found it so wonderful! The Tudor period has fascinated me for ages, but I've only ever read historical fiction regarding it. It was refreshing and worthwhile to read an historically accurate representation of a prominent figure from this time. Gareth Russell is a fantastic writer. He was able to take pure facts and still create a work that was engaging to read. He developed the world and presented the information in I've read some nonfiction over the years, but this is my first biography. He developed the world and presented the information in a storytelling way. There were moments where I had to remind myself that this was actually real and not another historical fiction novel. I believe that to be a mark of a true craftsman. I also am glad to have learned more about Catherine Howard. As Russell points out throughout the book, Catherine wasn't really a woman who changed much, and her historical reputation is one of a doe-eyed, silly, and promiscuous girl who was manipulated and sacrificed by men much smarter than her. Russell has convinced me otherwise, and I feel more sympathetic to Catherine and the very unfortunate life she was born into. The facts of her life were presented clearly, and the information we currently have was described with detail. The popular stories and rumors were addressed, and the facts were well-separated from the details that don't stand on a firm foundation. Why is Anne so compelling? Why has she inspired such extreme reactions? What did she really look like? How could Henry order the execution of a once beloved wife? Anne of Cleves is often portrayed as a stupid and comical figure. If you visit Oatlands today, walk further down the hill from Oatlands Park Hotel towards Weybridge, and that is the site of where the Palace stood. The couple were married at Oatlands Palace in Surrey. Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, officiated at the ceremony. The bride was 17 years of age and the groom was 49 years of age. It is claimed that after she was arrested at Ham She ran along what is now called the Haunted Gallery, screaming out to the King for mercy. She never reached Henry, who was at prayer in the Chapel. Guards dragged her away and she never saw Henry again. This event signalled the beginning of a period of fundamental change, as En Jump to. Sections of this page. Accessibility Help. Email or Phone Password Forgot account? Log In. Forgot account? Not Now. Visitor Posts. Holly-Eloise Walters. If you guys haven't yet I would love it if you checked out my book. It is a story all about the life of my favorite queen Anne Boleyn. https://files8.webydo.com/9591179/UploadedFiles/14A6E3C4-353A-88C0-98A9-2BDF0B48E099.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9587809/UploadedFiles/FC94D6A4-667A-1636-0602-7AF2E3B59E00.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9592276/UploadedFiles/A107BBA3-9A70-B7D7-706E-708FF07D6A78.pdf https://static.s123-cdn-static.com/uploads/4639805/normal_601f414491b20.pdf https://static.s123-cdn-static.com/uploads/4638352/normal_6020e3838fc64.pdf