What were Henry VIII's grounds for attempting to put aside his marriage to Catherine of Aragon? Were they no more than flimsy excuses to gratify his passion for Anne Boleyn? Or were there substantial reasons to lead him to believe that he had been living in sin for two decades? Making use of hitherto unknown or unexploited documentary evidence, the author sets out the intricacies of canon law regarding impediments to marriage and carefully explores the arguments and precedents Henry and his lawyers invoked in justifying his actions in public, in the ecclesiastical courts of England and Rome, and in the privacy of his own conscience. The effect of this reexamination forces substantial alterations in the traditional accounts not only of his first marriage and annulment, but also of the later ones to Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves, for the religious and legal principles involved were anything but flimsy and remained for Henry matters of lasting concern. Particularly noteworthy is the author's reconstruction of the legatine trial at Blackfriars in 1529, in which he brings to light the complete court record for the first time in 260 years. This reprinting (2004) of the 1976 edition contains a new Foreword.
The king and his wives-letters and documents History is full of notable figures, but far fewer in number are those who have become iconic. An indisputably iconic figure, even among the many great kings of England, is the towering figure of the Tudor monarch, King Henry VIII. He was, of course, the father of Queen Elizabeth I, Gloriana, an equally renowned monarch of her own golden age. She sought always to be and be seen as her father's daughter, but posterity preserves what it will of a life in the public consciousness and so aside from Henry's unmistakable and imposing personal appearance what is most remembered of him by many is that he was married on six occasions and habitually terminated his relationships with an axe at the executioner's block-though this occurred only twice perhaps indicating more moderation in Henry's character as a husband than he is usually credited with. There has always been something seductively attractive about this powerful man, capable of great tenderness and romance, an artist, poet and musician-and yet a ruthless and unscrupulous tyrant capable of incredible insensitivity and cruelty. This volume contains an engrossing selection of correspondence, reports and other documents concerning Henry and his wives. The central part of the book is a famous collection of love letters sent by the king to his second wife Anne Boleyn, one of his spouses who lost her head to be superceded by another beauty of the court Jane Seymour, one of Anne's ladies in waiting. In this special and unique Leonaur edition these letters are added to by the inclusion of correspondence and other documents concerning the fate of Henry's sometimes unfortunate women and the events that surrounded them. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
This book contains the complete, authentic collection of eighteen love letters exchanged between King Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn. Boleyn was Henry's second wife, gaining his favour after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, failed to provide him with the male heir he dearly craved. By all historic accounts, their initial romance was passionate and the epitome of courtly manners. This narrative is reinforced by the letters between the two as they encircled and eyed one another, awaiting the chance to commence romantic liaisons. The education and eloquence of both authors is in full display here, and the letters' authenticity is undisputed. Although in time the marriage was to sour with deadly consequences for Anne Boleyn, there is little reason to doubt the initial passion and thrill both experienced at the outset of their intimacy.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.