Book Review: "Henry VIII: King and Court" by Alison Weir (Pt. 8)

Remember when we talked about money and how Henry was supposed to be cutting back? Well, now he's the head of the church receiving all the taxes for religion and it's time for pregnant Anne's coronation. You can imagine the splendour. Alison Weir describes it as being one of the most splendid and regal events in the reign of this King. The falcon symbol of Anne was everywhere, the ground was freshly graveled and this was the cheapest stuff. Honestly, this man has no concept of saving money. Alison Weir's writing about Anne is slightly different to Hayley Nolan's though. It is less sympathetic and presents Anne as a machiavellian social climber as well as a woman who was a victim of societal circumstance. I don't think we will ever really know the truth.

Well, there's some good news too - Cromwell and Holbein seem to be friends and there's some good arrangements between them. To be honest, Holbein was a great artist, some of the best portraits of the royals of the time were painted by him. But there are also some rumours that Holbein was a spy for Cromwell with several of the portraits were of people Cromwell wanted information about. I'm not sure how this is meant to give information but I think what it means is that whilst sitting, it would be very difficult to keep silent the whole time. Henry is still fighting Rome and they are threatening to excommunicate him and of course, Anne is still pregnant. We are walking towards the birth of Elizabeth I and the beheading with some great trepidation because Henry and Anne are yet, so happy. Yeah, that's not going to last...

Anne is pregnant yet again and yet again, Henry is happy. Cromwell's influence grows and grows and yet, he doesn't seem manipulative at all, instead he just outright intimidates people. He gains information and uses it against people who question the Queen and her daughter, Elizabeth. Of course, when it comes down to it, people refuse to take the oath to the two and so, are aptly got rid of. Catherine of Aragon isn't harmed, Mary Tudor isn't harmed. But that's not the same rule for everyone. Henry's only concern at the moment seems to be Anne's pregnancy and the nursery is being readied for a (hopeful) son. Of course this won't happen and of course their marriage is going to fall apart. Alison Weir really does keep us waiting, information here is clearly the most formative of powers.

Once we get another overview of the theatre happening at the court, we see Anne get really unhappy about Henry having an affair with a woman named Jane Seymour. Jane of course, uses the same tactics as Anne did when she was coming into court. She plays the coy and shy virgin, she pushes Henry to accept her family into court and she shows her support for the King and what he wants even though she privately has more sympathy for Mary Tudor. It's 1536 and Anne has miscarried - Henry is kind towards Anne and the Queen buys every single lovely dress she can for her daughter Elizabeth who is now, almost three. Honestly, this is so different to the way in which Hayley Nolan presents Anne in Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies because at the moment, because of her decadence and terrible spending habits whilst the country starves, I have no sympathy for her.

However, when Anne met her death - she had so much dignity (even people who didn't like her said so), that it is actually difficult not to like her. Her apparent affairs, which probably didn't happen caused her arrest and Alison Weir tells us that Elizabeth is removed from the line of succession though nobody could tell you when the child learned of what happened to her mother. Henry was free to do as he pleased yet again and yet again, there was a woman who was willing to be around him (though I cannot imagine how by this point, he is honestly the most irritating person ever). In his sights: the late Jane Seymour - one of his favourite wives.

After a rebellion against Henry's religious policies might have been a great annoyance to Henry but Jane was pregnant and his fingers are crossed for a son. Alison Weir describes this time as Henry's confirmation that God is definitely watching over his court and so, he must be doing something right. In his hope for an heir, Henry comissioned Holbein to paint a life size portrait to show the lineage of the Tudor family with Henry VII and Elizabeth of York standing on marble steps. It was lost in a fire but according to Alison Weir, the depiction of Henry VIII in this painting is what many future depictions of him were based on.

Edward VI was finally born, but unfortunately his mother perished in his birth. Her death is described but the mourning period is described even more. Her body lay in state in her room for a week whilst people kept vigil over her every day, then she was embalmed. It is horrifying and sad to know that the baby wouldn't even realise his mother was dead but he too, would perish young. Alison Weir describes Jane's death as extremely sad for Henry VIII but we know that's only because she gave him a male heir. As we move through this section, we see that Henry VIII had a very strict household around Edward VI including that people who had been in places that had plague not being allowed around the royal child. Everything was scrubbed, food tasted, everything washed before and after use, no dogs and no other animals, no form of non-washed person - gosh the list just kept going on and on.

But, now the King has an ulcer on his leg and for 12 days he was bedridden. He would get better, but people were scared. His requirement to remarry is great and so, he went for a German princess named Anne of Cleves. Notably from what I have heard is that she arrived and then they both understood they were a bad match - there was definitely nothing there. He even said that he didn't know how all these men loved her. She didn't speak English and he would take his leave of her as soon as courtesy would allow. This was all after public debates about religion with people he didn't like and this time, he was on the side of Luther. He burned the opposition at the stake.

This is all getting a bit much and the King's health is declining quickly. As he was declining though, he definitely had some more ire in him for burning, beheading and being generally a horrid human being. He was paranoid about his throne being under threat, he was a hypochondriac about his failing health. There were multiple arrests about people who wanted to usurp the throne. Alison Weir is clear about Henry being the figure of justice in this situation which means that these people would be lucky to get out alive.

However, Catherine Howard walks in and you can only imagine what happened. Cromwell is arrested and stripped of his garter and also, locked in the tower to be condemned to death. Everything is up in the air as Anne of Cleves is no longer really the Queen of England. Cromwell annulled the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves yet, he was executed anwyay. Henry is quite literally hitting sociopath territory. Yes, there were people out for his crown, but many of these were just his own paranoia. Holbein was even partially fired. Holbein. He's just a painter (and probably a spy but mostly a painter). This is where Henry goes for 'absolute rule' where no Wolsey, no Cromwell, nobody - just Henry exists in the political sphere.

Anne of Cleves was allowed to keep all of her jewels and she was told she could be the King's good friend. King Henry actually really liked her, but more like a sister. They were both very happy this way and so, it all worked out fine. She was invited to his parties, she was given a home with all her servants and so, things are going up for her. But not for Catherine Howard...