The Tudors are England's most notorious royal family. But, as Leanda de Lisle's gripping new history reveals, they are a family still more extraordinary than the one we thought we knew. The Tudor canon typically starts with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, before speeding on to Henry VIII and the Reformation. But this leaves out the family's obscure Welsh origins, the ordinary man known as Owen Tudor who would fall (literally) into a Queen's lap--and later her bed. It passes by the courage of Margaret Beaufort, the pregnant thirteen-year-old girl who would help found the Tudor dynasty, and the childhood and painful exile of her son, the future Henry VII. It ignores the fact that the Tudors were shaped by their past--those parts they wished to remember and those they wished to forget. By creating a full family portrait set against the background of this past, de Lisle enables us to see the Tudor dynasty in its own terms, and presents new perspectives and revelations on key figures and events. De Lisle discovers a family dominated by remarkable women doing everything possible to secure its future; shows why the princes in the Tower had to vanish; and reexamines the bloodiness of Mary's reign, Elizabeth's fraught relationships with her cousins, and the true significance of previously overlooked figures. Throughout the Tudor story, Leanda de Lisle emphasizes the supreme importance of achieving peace and stability in a violent and uncertain world, and of protecting and securing the bloodline. Tudor is bristling with religious and political intrigue but at heart is a thrilling story of one family's determined and flamboyant ambition.

Discover all the foul facts about the history of royalty with history's most horrible headlines: Top 50 Kings and Queens edition. The master of making history fun, Terry Deary, turns his attention to 50 foul royals across history. From who kept a zoo in the Tower of London and which monarch died from eating too many eels to who pretended to be a corpse to make an escape. It's all in Horrible Histories: Top 50 Kings and Queens: fully illustrated throughout and packed with hair-raising stories - with all the horribly hilarious bits included with a fresh take on the classic Horrible Histories style, perfect for fans old and new the perfect series for anyone looking for a fun and informative read Horrible Histories has been entertaining children and families for generations with books, TV, stage show, magazines, games and 2019's brilliantly funny Horrible Histories: the Movie - Rotten Romans. Get your history right here and collect the whole horrible lot. Read all about it!

A beautiful pictorial souvenir commemorating the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. From her birth in London in 1926 to the celebration of her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, this touching tribute looks back at the life of Britain's longest reigning monarch. Charting the courtship and marriage of the Queen's parents, King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the birth of the Queen and her sister Margaret Rose, the abdication crisis of 1936, the royal family's role in World War II and the untimely death of the Queen's beloved father in 1952, this beautifully illustrated book chronicles Her Majesty's transition from princess to one of the most iconic and beloved modern heads of state. Also covering the coronation, the birth of the Commonwealth, the 'annus horribilis' of 1992 and the advent of the modern royal family, historians and royal watchers - including BBC journalists Scott Reeves, June Woolerton and Jon Wright - detail the events, both personal and private, that defined the enduring legacy of a monarch who devoted herself to her country and people.

Inspired by the 1910 bestseller Where's Master? Muick is the Queen's loyal corgi. Loving, attentive, but with an occasional tendency to nip ankles. But Muick can't find his Queen. The courtiers won't let him into the bedroom. The corgi handlers won't explain what is happening. Why are all the family suddenly here? Muick gives his own account of events and travels through his grief from Scotland to the funeral as he seeks to make sense of his loss and find a future beyond. Funny, touching and hopeful, Where's Ma'am is the story of the loss of a friendship like no other and the brave journey back to love and happiness. Illustrated throughout with black and white line drawings, meet the wonderful friends that help a small dog to overcome his biggest challenge.

There may not be a more fascinating a historical period than the late fourteenth century in Europe. The Hundred Years' War ravaged the continent, yet gallantry, chivalry, and literary brilliance flourished in the courts of England and elsewhere. It was a world in transition, soon to be replaced by the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration -- and John of Gaunt was its central figure.In today's terms, John of Gaunt was a multibillionaire with a brand name equal to Rockefeller. He fought in the Hundred Years' War, sponsored Chaucer and proto-Protestant religious thinkers, and survived the dramatic Peasants' Revolt, during which his sumptuous London residence was burned to the ground. As head of the Lancastrian branch of the Plantagenet family, Gaunt was the unknowing father of the War of the Roses; after his death, his son usurped the crown from his nephew, Richard II. Gaunt's adventures represent the culture and mores of the Middle Ages as those of few others do, and his death is portrayed in The Last Knight as the end of that enthralling period.

Composed between 1500 and 1502, "The Life of Henry VII" is the first "official" Tudor account of the triumph of Henry VII over Richard III. Its author, the French humanist Bernard Andre, was a poet and historian at the court of Henry VII and tutor to the young Prince Arthur. Steeped in classical literature and familiar with all the tropes of the ancient biographical tradition, Andre filled his account with classical allusions, invented speeches, and historical set pieces. Although cast as a biography, the work dramatizes the dynastic shift that resulted from Henry Tudor's seizure of the English throne at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and the death of Richard III. Its author had little interest in historical "facts," and when he was uncertain about details, he simply left open space in the manuscript for later completion. He focused instead on the nobility of Henry VII's lineage, the moral character of key figures, and the hidden workings of history. Andre's account thus reflects the impact of new humanist models on English historiography. It is the first extended argument for Henry's legitimate claims to the English crown. "The Life of Henry VII" survives in a single manuscript, edited by James Gairdner in the nineteenth-century Rolls Series. It occupies an important place in the literary tradition of treatments of Richard III, begun by Andre, continued by Thomas More and Polydore Vergil, and reaching its classic expression in Shakespeare. First English translation. Introduction, bibliography, index.

A "Washington Post Book World" Best Book of the Year
When her carriage first crossed over from her native Austria into France, fourteen-year-old Marie Antoinette was taken out, stripped naked before an entourage, and dressed in French attire to please the court of her new king. For a short while, the young girl played the part.
But by the time she took the throne, everything had changed. In "Queen of Fashion, " Caroline Weber tells of the radical restyling that transformed the young queen into an icon and shaped the future of the nation. With her riding gear, her white furs, her pouf hairstyles, and her intricate ballroom disguises, Marie Antoinette came to embody--gloriously and tragically--all the extravagance of the monarchy.

For 45 years I've chronicled the Royal Family for the Sun newspaper with my camera. I've witnessed their triumphs and disasters, their laughter and tears, when they've found love and when their relationships splinter. I'm there when they emerge from the maternity wing as wailing newborns and I'm there again when they marry before a joyous nation. And when they're laid to rest on those solemn occasions that this country marks so well, I'm on hand to capture history being made. Arthur Edwards has been the Sun's Royal Photographer for over 45 years; the longest-serving of any newspaper. Originally from the East End of London, he is the man behind the most iconic photographs of the most famous family in the world. With commensurate skill and unprecedented access, he has captured the candid moments when protocol is put aside, revealing the true personalities behind the Crown. This beautiful book is a treasure trove of glorious photography, along with Arthur's own warm recollections of the stories behind his iconic shots. It is the perfect glimpse behind the scenes of the last 50 years of the British monarchy, from a truly unique perspective.

A gripping royal saga of charmed lives in a changing world. The Jaipurs were India's mid-century golden couple; its answer to the Kennedys, or Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Jai and Ayesha, as they were known to friends like Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote and 'Dickie' Mountbatten, entertained lavishly at their magnificent palaces and hunting lodges in Rajasthan-and in the nightclubs of London, Paris and New York. But as the Raj gave way to the new India, Jaipur-the most glamorous and romantic of the princely states-had to find its place. The House of Jaipur charts a dynasty's determination to remain relevant in a democracy set on crushing its privileges. Against the odds, they secured their place at the height of Indian society; but Ayesha would pay for her criticism of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. From the polo field and politics to imprisonment and personal tragedy, the Jaipurs' extraordinary journey of transformation mirrors the story of a rapidly changing country.

The Untold True History of Love, Power and Revenge Amidst the Gaslights & Carriages of Old Paris & Madrid that Changed the World from China to Mexico
If you think you know Paris and Madrid, think again
This is the book that unlocks the charm, romance, heart-ache and mysteries of Paris and Madrid that directly preceded the contemporary. After reading this incredible history, you'll never think of either city in the same way

Elizabeth I is one of England's most famous monarchs, whose story as the ‘Virgin Queen’ is well known. But queenship was by no means a certain path for Henry VIII’s younger daughter, who spent the majority of her early years as a girl with an uncertain future.

Before she was three years old Elizabeth had been both a princess and then a bastard following the brutal execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. After losing several stepmothers and then her father, the teenage Elizabeth was confronted with the predatory attentions of Sir Thomas Seymour. The result was devastating, causing a heartbreaking rift with her beloved stepmother Katherine Parr.

Elizabeth was placed in further jeopardy when she was implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion of 1554 – a plot to topple her half-sister, Mary, from her throne. Imprisoned in the Tower of London where her mother had lost her life, under intense pressure and interrogation Elizabeth adamantly protested her innocence. Though she was eventually liberated, she spent the remainder of Mary’s reign under a dark cloud. On 17 November 1558, however, the uncertainty of Elizabeth’s future came to an end when she succeeded to the throne at the age of twenty-five.

When Elizabeth became queen, she had already endured more tumult than many monarchs experienced in a lifetime. This colourful and immensely detailed biography charts Elizabeth’s turbulent and unstable upbringing, exploring the dangers and tragedies that plagued her early life. Nicola Tallis draws on primary sources written by Elizabeth herself and her contemporaries, providing an extensive and thorough study of an exceptionally resilient youngster whose early life would shape the queen she later became. The heart racing story of Elizabeth’s youth as she steered her way through perilous waters towards England’s throne is one of the most sensational of its time.

'Hollman combines scrupulous research with spellbinding storytelling; The Queen and the Mistress will keep you turning the pages.' - Sylvia Barbara Soberton, author of Ladies-In-Waiting: The Women Who Served Anne Boleyn 'A must-read for anyone interested in medieval women's or royal history.' - Catherine Hanley, author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior 'In The Queen and the Mistress, Gemma Hollman challenges much of the misinformation and misconceptions which have surrounded both women for centuries ... A triumph of historical research and interpretation.' - Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England 'The Queen and the Mistress is an absorbing and masterful historical work, which you might not even notice because it is also incredibly fun. Hollman writes with obvious joy and sensitivity towards her subjects, bringing these complex women and their world to glorious life. I couldn't put it down.' - Eleanor Janega, Going Medieval Podcast IN A WORLD WHERE MAN IS KING, CAN WOMEN REALLY HAVE IT ALL - AND KEEP IT? Philippa of Hainault was Queen of England for forty-one years. Her marriage to Edward III, when they were both teenagers, was more political transaction than romantic wedding, but it would turn into a partnership of deep affection. The mother of twelve children, she was the perfect medieval queen: pious, unpolitical and fiercely loyal to both her king and adopted country. Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow and would soon catch the eye of an ageing king whose wife was dying. Born to a family of London goldsmiths, this charismatic and highly intelligent woman would use her position as the king's favourite to build up her own portfolio of land, wealth and prestige, only to see it all come crashing down as Edward himself neared death. The Queen and the Mistress is a story of female power and passion, and how two very different women used their skills and charms to navigate a tumultuous royal court - and win the heart of the same man.