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The Rise of the Tudors: The Family That Changed English History, by Chris Skidmore
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On the morning of August 22, 1485, in fields several miles from Bosworth, two armies faced each other, ready for battle. The might of Richard III's army was pitted against the inferior forces of the upstart pretender to the crown, Henry Tudor, a twenty–eight year old Welshman who had just arrived back on British soil after fourteen years in exile. Yet this was to be a fight to the death―only one man could survive; only one could claim the throne. It would be the end of the War of the Roses.
It would become one of the most legendary battles in English history: the only successful invasion since Hastings, it was the last time a king died on the battlefield. But The Rise Of The Tudors is much more than the account of the dramatic events of that fateful day in August. It is a tale of brutal feuds and deadly civil wars, and the remarkable rise of the Tudor family from obscure Welsh gentry to the throne of England―a story that began sixty years earlier with Owen Tudor's affair with Henry V's widow, Katherine of Valois.
Drawing on eyewitness reports, newly discovered manuscripts and the latest archaeological evidence, including the recent discovery of Richard III's remains, Chris Skidmore vividly recreates this battle-scarred world and the reshaping of British history and the monarchy.
- Sales Rank: #1259014 in Books
- Brand: Skidmore, Chris
- Published on: 2014-01-14
- Released on: 2014-01-14
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.46" h x 1.49" w x 6.43" l, 1.52 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 464 pages
Review
“Skidmore does a fine job or telling a complicated story that ends happily as Henry, now Henry VII, founded the Tudor dynasty that included his son, Henry VIII, and granddaughter, Elizabeth.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Skidmore's discussion of the archaeology of Bosworth and his postscript about the forensic evidence leading to the possibility that Richard was executed on the battlefield were particularly illuminating.” ―Publishers Weekly
About the Author
CHRIS SKIDMORE was born in Bristol, England in 1981. He taught history at Bristol University and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. In 2010 he was elected as a British Member of Parliament.
Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Rising y oung British scholar Chris Skidmore recounts the oft told but fascinating tale of Henry VII's victory at Bosworth Field
By C. M Mills
My bookcase is heavy with all the many volumes I have acquired dealing with the Tudor Dynasty of Great Britain. The fiery Welsh family ruled England from the time of Henry VII (reigned from 1485-1509) through the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I who reigned from 1558-1603. The Tudors have long been celebrated in story, ballad, film and recently on television in the series "The White Queen." They are always fun to read about and learn from their follies and successes.
Chris Skidmore tells the story of how Henry VII whose Welsh grandfather Owen Tudor was the lover of the widow of Henry V. Henry spent many years in exile in Wales and in various French courts. Henry was a tall ascetic looking man who enjoyed scholarship. He was supported by his mother the indomitable Margaret Beaufort until she saw her dream of her lad being crowned on the Bosworth battlefield as King of England.
The book deals with the bloody cousins war called the War of the Roses (first dubbed as such by Sir Walter Scott in the nineteenth century) which led to the murder of Henry VI the Lancaster king to his archenemy Edward IV of the House of York. When Edward IV died his young son Edward V and his brother Richard were murdered in the Tower of London. The murder case has never been solved though the chief suspect is Richard III who reigned from 1483-1485. Richard was their guardian but lusted for the throne once worn by his older brother.
Richard III met Henry VII in battle at Bosworth Field in August 1485. Richard was slain in battle leading to the crowning of Henry VII and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.
Skidmore spends many pages building up to the Bosworth Field battle by his descriptions of the personalities and battles of the times of the War of the Roses. It is hard for an American to keep up with all the names and dates and locations! The book is often dry but the information it contains is well researched. The book will be hard going for many readers but those who stick with it will be enriched by the knowledge received from the book. Recommended with caveats.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
A useful addition to the literature about the improbable Tudor dynasty -- with a few caveats
By David H. (Austin)
Chris Skidmore's take on the improbable rise of the Tudor family is at once useful, interesting, informative -- and sometimes frustrating, repetitious, and contradictory. His obvious familiarity with the source material and various contemporary historians gives us a sense of immediacy and verisimilitude; but, sometimes the citing of so many disparate sources can lead to a ragged narrative which can sometimes appear to be a long string of quotes supporting a minimal narrative. Granted, some may like this style of writing but I found it tiresome and deleterious to the rhythm of the narration.
What was really useful for me was the description of the genesis of the Tudor family, especially in relation to their descent from a liaison between a Welsh commoner and the widow of Henry V. This made Jasper Tudor and Edmund Tudor (the father of Henry VII) half-brothers of Henry VI. Illustrious relatives indeed. Too often historians skim over this aspect of the Tudors but Skidmore's account is very well done.
Skidmore then gives what is perhaps one of the best brief accounts of the Wars of the Roses. The narrative is taut, concise and he makes the confusing time very accessible to readers who may not have much knowledge about the ups and downs of both the Yorkists and the Lancastrians. As an aside, the author limns battles that are given short shrift in most books: the battles of Blore Heath, Mortimer's Cross, and Towton are briefly described but they are firmly placed in the narrative as important events and their relation to the course of the wars. The first part of the book sums up this period up to the usurpation of Richard of Gloucester -- to rule for two years thereafter as Richard III.
Another useful part of the book is the harrowing tale of Henry's exile in Brittany, of which Duke Francis II was the ruler throughout the various attempts of Edward IV and King Richard to get control Henry, complicated by the machinations of Louis XI of France and his successor Charles VIII (or more properly Charles' remarkable sister Anna of Beaujeu since he was only thirteen at his accession to the throne). The years of Henry's exile are also usually passed over quickly but Skidmore gives a real sense of the real cloud of uncertainty that shadowed Henry's life for years. This is a good place to remark on Skidmore's excellent use of original sources in writing his book. He provides a detailed account of Henry's expenses while in Brittany which ultimately gives us a good idea of what people of his class purchased or used to buy services -- and people.
I have spent time on the above because Skidmore's book was published in England as BOSWORTH: THE BIRTH OF THE TUDORS. The American title actually describes the book better as the so-called Battle of Bosworth is described in the second half of the book. The results are mixed. Skidmore's narrative becomes bogged down, for me, with his technique of using a lot, a lot, of,contemporary quotes to describe the lead up to the battle and then the battle itself. He cites every Tudor historian who was, of necessity, beholden to the Tudor dynasty. He even uses ballads and finds internal evidence in poems to bolster his interpretation of the events of the battle. One problem is that the contemporary historians were hostile to King Richard and history is written by the victors. And Polydore Vergil wrote his account years AFTER the events of 1485. Another problem is an appearance of inconsistency when Skidmore contends that the northerners that fought on Richard's behalf did not have their hearts in the fight but then later writes that the northerners refused to accept the decision of Bosworth and were a constant source of unrest in the early years of the reign of Henry VII. More properly, it was the northern earl of Northumberland who sat on his hands at Bosworth. While Skidmore is fairly brilliant in his conjectures as to the course of the battle of Bosworth, the fact remains that it is a lot of conjecture. We know more about the Battle of Cannae than we can know about Bosworth. But the reader should judge one's self just how much credence one can put in this book. I can't stress enough, however, that Skidmore's account is brilliant (despite all the tiresome contemporary quotes he uses when a modern summation or rewording would suffice). And here I might mention the repetition that sometime plagues this narrative. For example, the tale of one Roger Acton is repeated three times in the space of thirty-five pages. Another is the somewhat tiresome use of the same words in conjunction with the rewards doled out to Henry's supporters after the battle. Do we really need to have contemporary quotes of 'for his good service' repeated after just about every recipient of Henry's largesse?
Over all, this book is a good addition to the literature about the beginnings of the Tudor dynasty. Mr. Skidmore has given us a book full of insights and wonderful bits of information not usually found in books on the same subject. This book is just as useful to a novice on the subject as it is to someone steeped in the events of a fascinating era. After some internal debate on my part, I rate this book at 4 1/2 stars.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Finally! A Clear Presentation on the War of the Roses
By Loves the View
I had been looking for a clear narrative on the War of the Roses. At last, here it is! Chris Skidmore whose work I know through his books earlier books: Death and the Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I and the Dark Scandal That Rocked the Throne and Edward VI: The Lost King of England has pulled it all together.
The first section shows the problems of the reign of Henry VI and Richard of York's reaction to the many slights and the costs he bore for the king. It ends with the reign of Edward IV. This and the start of the next part describing Richard III's usurpation of the throne are spectacular for their stories and the clarity of Skidmore's prose.
While Richard III imprisons the princes (and their tutors) and rewards friends and punishes slights there are interesting doings in France where Henry Tudor is a chess piece (at times hostage, a guest and finally a royal heir). Alongside this there is some pretty thick reading. The size of the schism is shown through a catalog of nobles and stakeholders (many merely names in history) choosing sides, gaining and losing property and/or being brutally killed. There are listings of armaments purchased and stockpiled. All this builds to a very well described battle at Bosworth where Skidmore is careful to note sources and conflicting sources.
The last two chapters return to page turning narratives on the aftermath of the Battle (Henry's preparations to keep peace and rule), the research on the battlefield and the latest on the discovery of Richard III's remains.
Skidmore sticks with the givens. He steers so clear of editorial comment, that Thomas Stanley is only briefly noted as married to Henry's mother. He resisted adding drama by not mentioning that Stanley is Henry's step-father at critical points, particularly the final battle.
Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort, does not get much attention in proportion to the role she seems to have played.
The genealogical chart is excellent as is Skidmore's narration on the complex and disputed relationships. When I checked the maps, all the places noted were there (seems that this should be a given, but in many books it's not).
I highly recommend this for the general reader. It is the best I have found (and I've been looking) to explain the War of the Roses.
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