Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of KingsSister to Queen Anne Boleyn, she was seduced by two kings and was an intimate player in one of history's most gripping dramas. Yet much of what we know about Mary Boleyn has been fostered through garbled gossip, romantic fiction, and the misconceptions repeated by historians. Now, in her latest book, New York Times bestselling author and noted British historian Alison Weir gives us the first ever full-scale, in-depth biography of Henry VIII's famous mistress, in which Weir explodes much of the mythology that surrounds Mary Boleyn and uncovers the truth about one of the most misunderstood figures of the Tudor age. With the same brand of extensive forensic research she brought to her acclaimed book The Lady in the Tower, Weir facilitates here a new portrayal of her subjects, revealing how Mary was treated by her ambitious family and the likely nature of the relationship between the Boleyn sisters. She also posits new evidence regarding the reputation of Mary's mother, Elizabeth Howard, who was rumored to have been an early mistress of Henry VIII. Weir unravels the truth about Mary's much-vaunted notoriety at the French court and her relations with King François I. She offers plausible theories as to what happened to Mary during the undocumented years of her life, and shows that, far from marrying an insignificant and complacent nonentity, she made a brilliant match with a young man who was the King's cousin and a rising star at court. Weir also explores Mary's own position and role at the English court, and how she became Henry VIII's mistress. She tracks the probable course of their affair and investigates Mary's real reputation. With new and compelling evidence, Weir presents the most conclusive answer to date on the paternity of Mary's children, long speculated to have been Henry VIII's progeny. Alison Weir has drawn fascinating information from the original sources of the period to piece together a life steeped in mystery and misfortune, debunking centuries-old myths and disproving accepted assertions, to give us the truth about Mary Boleyn, the so-called great and infamous whore. |
Contents
The Eldest Daughter | 3 |
The Best of Husbands | 24 |
Into the Realm of France | 47 |
A Very Great Whore? | 70 |
William Carey of the Privy Chamber | 96 |
The Assault on the Castle of Virtue | 114 |
In Bondage | 194 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abbey affair with Mary Anne Boleyn Anne's appointed asserted attendants bastard birth Blickling Boleyn Girl born Calais Cardinal Wolsey Carey's century child Church claimed Cloth of Gold Complete Peerage courtiers cousin daughter Denny died Duke Earl Edward Elizabeth Blount Elizabeth Howard England English Erickson Essex evidence Fall of Anne father favor France French court George granted Greenwich heir Henry Carey Henry VIII Hever Castle Horenbout Hoskins household Hunsdon husband Ibid Jane Jones Katherine Carey Katherine of Aragon Katherine's Kent King Henry King's knight Knollys Lady Penelope Lady Rochford later letter lived lodgings London Lord manor Margaret marriage married Mary Boleyn Mary Tudor Mary's mother never Norfolk Ormond Palace portrait pregnant Princess Privy Chamber probably record reign Rochford Hall royal Sir John Sir Thomas Boleyn Six Wives suggests survive Tower Varlow VIII's vols Warnicke Westminster wife Wilkinson William Boleyn William Carey William Stafford Wiltshire woman young