Read of the Week

This past weekend I was really excited to jump into Blood Will Tell: A Medical Explanation for the Tyranny of Henry VIII by Kyra Kramer. The book is a very interesting look at the mental and physical decline of Henry VIII and a possible explanation. Her theory is that Henry VIII's blood was Kell positive. As such, he would have had an extraordinarily difficult time fathering healthy children who thrived. Kell negative women who have children by Kell positive fathers have fine pregnancies the first time around, but develop an "allergy" to the Kell antigens afterwards, causing future fetuses to miscarry or die early in infancy.

Kramer, a medical anthropologist, does a commendable job of dissecting Henry VIII's medical, psychological, and behavioral history. She walks through the reproductive trials and tribulations of each of his first two wives examining how Henry's possibly Kell-positive status could have affected Anne and Katherine's pregnancies. It's entirely plausible and incredibly fascinating.

Kramer does not just give surface information and expect the reader to agree with her. Her research has immense depth; postulating that Henry may additionally have suffered from McLeod syndrome, a disorder that interestingly enough can cause major personality changes, including paranoia and schizophrenia. The author does an impeccable job of bringing together science and history to write an engaging and thoughtful book that humanizes Henry VIII, helping to lessen the historically accepted view of the lecherous, obese monster.

I commend Kramer for her incredible use of citations, she made this book a researcher's heaven. Her bibliography is extensive and impressive; pulling not only from historical and medical sources but also from sociology and anthropology. The book is well rounded, and impeccably researched.
Her tone is logical and professional, her own thoughts are carefully concealed, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. I enjoyed her style, because I did not feel led on to believe her theory blindly.

Kramer doesn't let her own voice intrude very much in her narrative, choosing to maintain a very  smooth, logical tone that fits well with the medical report style of the book. The one thing I think he could have improved on was to write for a more diverse audience. The book is fascinating, but if you are not a Tudor historian her lack of background/contextual narrative would have made the book difficult to read. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, it added a lot of nuance to my conceptions about Henry VIII. I suggest it for all readers who want to understand more about the man Henry VIII truly was, even if you do not accept her medical explanation for his decline.

The Accession of Elizabeth I

On November 17, 1558 Mary I passed away after weeks of declining health, she was just forty-two years old. Despite the almost continual feuding angst between Mary and her younger sister Elizabeth, Mary never had her executed (to the disappointment of many of Elizabeth’s enemies) nor did she name another heir in Elizabeth’s place. Upon her death, Mary ring’s was carried to Elizabeth at Hatfield as proof that she was now queen. The House of Peers proclaimed her queen that afternoon from Whitehall. Elizabeth’s response to her sister’s death was not one of remorse, but of political importance. When the Privy Council arrived at Hatfield to meet with Elizabeth she spoke with them saying,

My lords, the law of nature moveth me to sorrow for my sister; the burden that is fallen upon me maketh me amazed; and yet considering I am God’s creature, ordained to obey His appointment, I will thereto yield, desiring from the bottom of my heart that I may have assistance of His grace to be minister of His heavenly will in this office now committed to me. And as I am but one body naturally considered, though by His permission a body politic to govern, so I shall desire you all, my lords to be assistant to me, that I with my ruling and you with your service may make a good account to almighty God and leave some comfort to our posterity in earth. I mean to direct all my actions by food advice and counsel. And therefore, considering that diver of you be of ancient nobility, having your beginning and estate of my progenitors, kings of this realm, and thereby ought in honour to have the more natural care for maintaining my estate and this commonwealth; some others have been of long experience in governance and enabled by my father of noble memory, my brother, and my late sister to bear office; the rest of you being upon special trust lately called to her service only and trust, for your service considered and rewarded; my meaning is to require of you all nothing more but faithful hearts in such service as from time to time shall be in your powers towards the preservation of me and this commonwealth. And for council and advice I shall accept you of my nobility, and such other of you the rest as in consultation I shall think meet and shortly appoint, to the which also, with their advice, I will join to their aid, and for ease of their burden, other meet for my service. And they which I shall not appoint, let them not think the same for any disability in them, but for that I do consider a multitude doth make rather discord and confusion than good counsel. And of my goodwill you shall not doubt, using yourselves as appertaineth to good and loving subjects.

Elizabeth’s first few days as Queen of England would be trying, she actively participated in the planning of her sister’s state funeral, faced questions about her intentions for marriage and moved quickly to appoint trusted advisors and ladies in waiting.

Elizabeth I's Coronation Portrait
Attributed to Hilliard

 

Elizabeth I: Killer Queen?

Robert Dudley married Amy Robsart long before he was considered Elizabeth I's favorite. They spent much time apart as Robert became Elizabeth's master of horse and Amy remained at their estate, rumored to be ill.  As Elizabeth's affections for Robert grew, gossip started that if Amy were to die that Elizabeth would marry Robert and make him her consort.

 In April 1559 court observers noted that Elizabeth never let Dudley from her side; but her favor did not extend to his wife. Lady Amy Dudley lived in different parts of the country and was rarely seen at court. Robert had visited Amy for four days at Easter 1559 and she spent a month around London in the early summer of the same year. They never saw each other again; Dudley was with the Queen at Windsor Castle when his wife was found dead at her residence Cumnor Place near Oxford on September 8, 1560. It appeared she has fallen down some stairs and died of her injuries. Gossip immediately began at to whether Robert, Elizabeth or one of their "henchman" could have been responsible for her death, clearing the way for the two to marry.

In order to quiet the talk, Robert retired to his house at Kew, away from court and from the probable crime scene and pressed for an impartial inquiry which had already begun in the form of an inquest. The jury found that Amy's death was an accident: Lady Dudley, staying alone "in a certain chamber", had fallen down the adjoining stairs, sustaining multiple head injuries and breaking her neck. Despite the findings it was widely speculated that Dudley had arranged his wife's death to be able to marry the Elizabeth and share power, something his family had desired for years. The scandal played into the hands of nobles and politicians who desperately tried to prevent Elizabeth from marrying him. Some of these, like William Cecil and Nicholas Throckmorton, made use of it, telling Elizabeth that their marriage would cause outrage and more factional violence. As we know Elizabeth never married Dudley or anyone else. Robert would marry again, this time to Elizabeth's cousin Lettice Knollys who would feel the Queen's hatred for the remainder of her days.

Many historians, myself included, do not believe that Robert, Elizabeth or anyone else was responsible for Amy's death. Ian Aird, a professor of Medicine suggested that Amy may have suffered from breast cancer, which would explain not only her prolonged illness but also could have caused metastatic cancerous deposits on her spine causing her neck to break even from limited strain. This video, despite popular historical opinion, asserts that Elizabeth DID have something to do with Amy's death.

Watch and weigh in!

 

Read of the Week

This week I chose to spoil myself with a historical novel :) The Tudor Conspiracy by CW Gortner was really interesting and fun to read. Most novels that deal with Elizabeth or Anne are told from a female perspective. Interestingly, this one story was told by a man, Brendan Prescott who was the illegitimate child of Mary Tudor, sister to Henry VIII. The child was fathered by Charles Brandon's squire who was madly in love with Mary. The story follows Brendan through his love life, efforts to save Elizabeth from a plot she herself began and his life at court where he also pretends to serve Elizabeth's sister Queen Mary I. Mary has been convinced by Hapsburg ambassador Renard that Elizabeth is a dangerous and traitorous heathen who must be executed in order for Mary's marriage to Prince Philip to take place. Both Cecil and Prescott know that this is not true. Prescott decides to work for Elizabeth, and infiltrate Mary's court to thwart Renard's plan. However, he is called upon by Queen Mary to find proof of Elizabeth's treachery and involvement in the plot to overthrow her. Now serving as a double agent, he must find the proof (whether it be treacherous or not) in Elizabeth's letters before his unknown nemesis finds it first and Elizabeth meets an executioner. This book is enthralling from beginning to end; humanizing the virgin Queen and giving us a few of her beginnings. For a true history lover, you can see the compressed timeline of the novel, but can also appreciate the way the author attempted to stay true to historical facts. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to picking up another great book by him!

A St. Erkenwald's Day Wedding for Anne and Henry?

November 14, 1532 is the day that Henry and Anne landed back in England after their lengthy trip to France to gain support for their union with Francis I. The King and his intended took their time heading back to London, tarrying in Dover for several days for the purpose "...of having harbours constructed in the said town..." They did not return to the capital for ten days! Edward Hall, a Tudor chronicler wrote that they were not actually raising funds and buildings but rather that they had gotten married! He wrote, "The kyng after his returne<sic>, married priuily[privily, meaning in a private way] the lady Anne Bulleyn, on sainct<sic> Erkwnwaldes daie, whiche marriage was kept so secrete,<sic> that very fewe knewe it, til she was greate with child, as Easter after..."

This story directly contradicts the idea that they married in January, only after Anne found out that she was pregnant. We may never know the exact date of their marriage, but we do know that after this point the King and Anne began co-habitating and that she became pregnant sometime in December. I find myself leaning towards Hall's account; it seems unlikely that Anne would give herself to Henry after so many years of holding out unless she had gotten her ultimate goal, marriage.