So Great a Prince: England and the Accession of Henry VIII by Lauren Johnson
| So Great a Prince: England and the Accession of Henry VIII by Lauren Johnson | |
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| Category: History | |
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Reviewer: John Van der Kiste
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| Summary: While King Henry VIII is the dominant subject of this book, the story of 1509 is told not just from the perspective of the sovereign and his court. For most of the country, the accession of a new monarch meant little, with the rhythms and ritual of daily life continuing unchanged. Detailed source material on the lives of Kings and Queens is relatively slender, and much of it is already familiar, but Lauren Johnson's social history-cum-biography as she focuses on the pivotal year is a welcome addition to anybody's bookshelf. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 352 | Date: March 2016 |
| Publisher: Head of Zeus | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978 1781859858 | |
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King Henry VII, whose victory at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 brought the curtain down on the Wars of the Roses, brought peace and stability to a divided country, but the last few years of his reign were marked by corruption and repression. When he died in 1509, there were hopes that his eighteen-year-old heir, now Henry VIII, would mark the end of medieval England and the start of a new era. The age of Protestantism and the Renaissance would indeed fulfil these aspirations, even though much of his reign would be marked with religious persecution and a litany of executions which would completely eclipse the repression of his father's day. Lauren Johnson's book examines in fascinating detail the transitional year between the old and the new.
Born a second son, the younger Henry had not expected to become King until his sickly brother Arthur died in 1502. Seven years later, in April 1509, he assumed a heavy burden with the deaths of his father and, on the day after his eighteenth birthday two months later, his paternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort. Barely an adult, the newly-married sovereign had no family from the elder generation left to guide him. Having been 'kept secluded like a girl' for much of his childhood, he was now the leader of his country.
As the sub-title suggests, this book is history rather than biography. While the King is the dominant subject, the story of the year is told not just from the perspective of the sovereign and his court. For most of the country, we read in the introduction, the accession of a new monarch meant little. The rhythms and ritual of daily life went on as before. The only people affected at all were the royal ministers and leading clergy, and those who worked most closely with them. Even when he went on a progress that summer to show himself to his people, he did not venture outside the Home Counties.
The narrative begins with Lady Day, 25 March, which had been accepted as the beginning of the calendar year since at least the twelfth century. It was followed closely by Easter, then as now the time of resurrection. We are reminded that religion was at the heart of life for King and commoner alike, with the year shaped by a church-prescribed procession of holy days, with three days of the week given up to fasting and followed by one of rest. After Lent and weeks of fasting, it was the season of 'meat and plenty' once more. There was however to be no resurrection for the ailing sovereign, who the ministers knew was dying. His son's accession coincided almost exactly with St George's Day, and the gathering of the Knights of the Garter as they celebrated England's patron saint was the perfect opportunity to announce the news to a select gathering of lords and senior churchmen.
The King then takes centre stage again, as a piece of long-unfinished business is concluded. Princess Catherine of Aragon, the unfortunate widow of the young would-be King Arthur, had remained in England while the possibility of a marriage between her and the new heir had been planned, promised, broken and debated afresh. Her belief that with the death of Henry VII the obstacle would be removed indeed came to pass, and in June the wedding took place.
Thereafter the book becomes more or less social history, with the celebration of Midsummer, Lammas on the 1st of August, All Saints' Day three months later, Christmas, Plough Day and Shrove, which then focused on Sunday at the start of Lent rather than Tuesday. Overall it adds up to a skilful juxtaposition of the pattern of the year for everyday life, with political events and with what was happening around the King and his circle.
The penultimate chapter brings us to Lady Day, with Queen Catherine expecting her first child. This proves a convenient platform for a discussion of practices and customs relating to sex and marriage in Tudor England. Abortion, contraception and homosexuality were frowned on by church and society, suggesting that not much changed over the next few centuries. A few pages on '1510 and beyond' comprise a swift look at the rest of the reign, with an appendix comprising short biographies of leading royalty, figures at court and personalities in the country, a genealogical table, and eight pages of colour plates.
We might never cease to marvel at the ingenious new ways in which today's younger historians continue to explore the Tudor age from new angles, at a time when documentation on the lives of Kings and Queens is relatively slender and much of it has already been picked over by other writers. Yet Lauren Johnson's social history-cum-biography as she focuses on the pivotal year is a more than welcome, thoroughly deserving addition to anybody's bookshelf.
For further reading, or 'what happened next' to the marriage between Henry and Catherine, The Divorce of Henry VIII: The Untold Story by Catherine Fletcher is recommended, as is Tudor: The Family Story by Leanda de Lisle, a complete overview of the dynasty.
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You can read more book reviews or buy So Great a Prince: England and the Accession of Henry VIII by Lauren Johnson at Amazon.com.
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