I was so excited to get a review copy of this book from Amberley Publishing. It doesn’t disappoint as it discusses the Tudor women across the whole period and how they compare to each other in their styles of motherhood, queenship, and relations with the men in their lives. It shows how resilient the women were and how essential they were to the dynasty. It doesn’t just examine the period 1485 to 1603 but looks at the women before this period who shaped it, like Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort, the matriarchs of the dynasty, without whom it wouldn’t have existed.

This book tries to tackle some of the prevailing myths about these women and the dominating views of the past centuries. It opens up new areas for exploration and tries to redress the balance of views on these incredible women. It’s good to focus on the women, who are often seen as supporting rather than leading figures, as the focus is often on the men who wield the power. The women of the period may have often been side-lined, but they often wielded power behind the scenes more often than in the public eye.

Although it is a long book and can seem daunting to start with, it is well worth investing the time to read it, as Amy Licence manages to sprinkle little details throughout and asks questions which make you think and consider different angles. It makes me want to delve into others of Licence’s books which are sat on my shelves, but I haven’t gotten around to reading yet! It also makes me want to know more in particular about Henry VIII’s sisters, Margaret Queen of Scotland, and Mary Duchess of Suffolk.

I would thoroughly recommend this, even if you don’t know that much about the Tudors, as it offers different angles on people sometimes overlooked in the period or misunderstood. It is easy to read and written chronologically so that if you are looking for a particular thing, it is easy to find. Obviously well-researched and concisely written.

Chapters:

1. Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort 1437-1460
2. Women as Witnesses 1460-1463
3. A Queen is Made 1464-1469
4. A Queen is Unmade 1469-1472
5. Elizabeth of York 1472-1485
6. The First Tudor Queen 1485-1486
7. Dynasty in Danger 1487-1492
8. Tudor Princesses 1489-1501
9. The Spanish Bride 1501-1503
10. The Two Margarets 1503-1509
11. New Wives 1509-1515
12. Widows 1513-1515
13. Legacies of Love 1516-1520
14. Gold 1520-1525
15. Breaking the Queenship Model 1525-1533
16. Wives and Daughters 1533-1534
17. Queen, Interrupted 1534-1536
18. The Search for Love 1533-1537
19. Changing Times 1537-1540
20. Women in Danger 1540-1542
21. Weathering the Storm 1543-1546
22. Such a Brief Happiness 1545-1549
23. Dangerous Women 1547-1553
24. Queens in Conflict 1553-1554
25. The Half-Spanish Queen 1554-1555
26. Saving the Nation’s Souls 1555-1558
27. Autonomy 1558-1562
28. Gender Politics 1563-1569
29. The Queen’s Person 1570-1588
30. Finale 1589-1603
31. How the Tudor Dynasty was Built by Women 1437-1603