- Print Length: 576 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 12, 2016)
- Publication Date: January 12, 2016
- Sold by: Random House LLC
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00XG95GJC
The Blurb ...
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE INDEPENDENT • From New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir comes the first biography of Margaret Douglas, the beautiful, cunning niece of Henry VIII of England who used her sharp intelligence and covert power to influence the succession after the death of Elizabeth I.
Royal Tudor blood ran in her veins. Her mother was a queen, her father an earl, and she herself was the granddaughter, niece, cousin, and grandmother of monarchs. Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, was an important figure in Tudor England, yet today, while her contemporaries—Anne Boleyn, Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I—have achieved celebrity status, she is largely forgotten.
Margaret’s life was steeped in intrigue, drama, and tragedy—from her auspicious birth in 1530 to her parents’ bitter divorce, from her ill-fated love affairs to her appointment as lady-in-waiting for four of Henry’s six wives. In an age when women were expected to stay out of the political arena, alluring and tempestuous Margaret helped orchestrate one of the most notorious marriages of the sixteenth century: that of her son Lord Darnley to Mary, Queen of Scots. Margaret defiantly warred with two queens—Mary, and Elizabeth of England—and was instrumental in securing the Stuart ascension to the throne of England for her grandson, James VI.
The life of Margaret Douglas spans five reigns and provides many missing links between the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. Drawing on decades of research and myriad original sources—including many of Margaret’s surviving letters—Alison Weir brings this captivating character out of the shadows and presents a strong, capable woman who operated effectively and fearlessly at the very highest levels of power.
Royal Tudor blood ran in her veins. Her mother was a queen, her father an earl, and she herself was the granddaughter, niece, cousin, and grandmother of monarchs. Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, was an important figure in Tudor England, yet today, while her contemporaries—Anne Boleyn, Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I—have achieved celebrity status, she is largely forgotten.
Margaret’s life was steeped in intrigue, drama, and tragedy—from her auspicious birth in 1530 to her parents’ bitter divorce, from her ill-fated love affairs to her appointment as lady-in-waiting for four of Henry’s six wives. In an age when women were expected to stay out of the political arena, alluring and tempestuous Margaret helped orchestrate one of the most notorious marriages of the sixteenth century: that of her son Lord Darnley to Mary, Queen of Scots. Margaret defiantly warred with two queens—Mary, and Elizabeth of England—and was instrumental in securing the Stuart ascension to the throne of England for her grandson, James VI.
The life of Margaret Douglas spans five reigns and provides many missing links between the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. Drawing on decades of research and myriad original sources—including many of Margaret’s surviving letters—Alison Weir brings this captivating character out of the shadows and presents a strong, capable woman who operated effectively and fearlessly at the very highest levels of power.
****
Margaret Tudor's life was just as scandalous and intriguing as her more well-known cousins, and her story is worth reading. Margaret lived through three different imprisonments, the birth of eight children, only two of which survived into adulthood. Sadly, her wish for them to prosper lead to her imprisonments. She was impulsive and reckless with her choices, much like Mary Queen of Scots, who gave birth to Margaret's grandson James, who later in life became King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England and Ireland after Queen Elizabeth I died. I enjoy Alison Weir's books and this one is no exception. I recommend it to anyone interested in Tudor history. I caution though that it is a very hefty book and it isn't for the faint of heart. You have to like non-fiction in order to appreciate its worth and depth.
This book was given as an advanced copy to review by NetGalley, my review is written with honesty and without any ties to the author. I did not receive any monetary gain from doing so.
Margaret Tudor's life was just as scandalous and intriguing as her more well-known cousins, and her story is worth reading. Margaret lived through three different imprisonments, the birth of eight children, only two of which survived into adulthood. Sadly, her wish for them to prosper lead to her imprisonments. She was impulsive and reckless with her choices, much like Mary Queen of Scots, who gave birth to Margaret's grandson James, who later in life became King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England and Ireland after Queen Elizabeth I died. I enjoy Alison Weir's books and this one is no exception. I recommend it to anyone interested in Tudor history. I caution though that it is a very hefty book and it isn't for the faint of heart. You have to like non-fiction in order to appreciate its worth and depth.
This book was given as an advanced copy to review by NetGalley, my review is written with honesty and without any ties to the author. I did not receive any monetary gain from doing so.
