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Heroines of the Tudor World
These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation.
Heroines of the Tudor World focuses on the women who lived through the Renaissance and Reformation, examining the threats and challenges they faced and how they overcame them. Studying regents, writers, nuns and queens, and taking in the likes of Elizabeth Barton, Anne Boleyn, Catherine de Medici, Bess of Hardwick and Elizabeth I, Sharon Bennett Connolly shines the spotlight on the women who helped to shape Early Modern Europe.
Heroines of the Tudor World focuses on the women who lived through the Renaissance and Reformation, examining the threats and challenges they faced and how they overcame them. Studying regents, writers, nuns and queens, and taking in the likes of Elizabeth Barton, Anne Boleyn, Catherine de Medici, Bess of Hardwick and Elizabeth I, Sharon Bennett Connolly shines the spotlight on the women who helped to shape Early Modern Europe.
318 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 10, 2024
I loved this book! It doesn't just cover the people you'd expect like the six wives and the queens, but other women who were executed, who wrote, who were mistresses, and pawns, and warriors. There are also women covered from outside England, from Scotland, Ireland, France, and Spain. These international women cannot be ignored in the context of the Tudor period as they all influenced and impacted on each other.
It was well-written with a good variety of primary and secondary sources, and my own first book 'Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason' was cited and referenced which was very exciting and a lovely surprise! The writing is clear and easy to follow, but keeps you gripped. The chapters flow well, even though each chapter covers several different women. It doesn't seem disjointed as the women's stories flow from one to another quite naturally and effortlessly.
It was interesting to read stories of some of the better known names through the lives of those lesser known, like we see Katherine Howard's story through the eyes of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, and much of Anne Boleyn's stories is told through the eyes of her sister, Mary Boleyn. But I think beginning the book with a discussion of the position of women at the time, and how that had developed from the medieval period was an excellent place to start, as it gives a grounding for those less familiar to get the most out of the explorations of the lives of the women.
Even though it's outside the period I would usually read and study, I now want to read 'Heroines of the Medieval World' as well. Like 'Heroines of the Tudor World', I'm sure it will be a wonderful insight into those women who are lesser known, as well as those who are royal and better known.
Sharon Bennett Connolly writes engaging history, and is obviously passionate about exploring the lives of women from all backgrounds and different periods of history. Her knowledge and expertise in women's history really shines through, making this book an absolute joy to read.
It was well-written with a good variety of primary and secondary sources, and my own first book 'Elizabethan Rebellions: Conspiracy, Intrigue and Treason' was cited and referenced which was very exciting and a lovely surprise! The writing is clear and easy to follow, but keeps you gripped. The chapters flow well, even though each chapter covers several different women. It doesn't seem disjointed as the women's stories flow from one to another quite naturally and effortlessly.
It was interesting to read stories of some of the better known names through the lives of those lesser known, like we see Katherine Howard's story through the eyes of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, and much of Anne Boleyn's stories is told through the eyes of her sister, Mary Boleyn. But I think beginning the book with a discussion of the position of women at the time, and how that had developed from the medieval period was an excellent place to start, as it gives a grounding for those less familiar to get the most out of the explorations of the lives of the women.
Even though it's outside the period I would usually read and study, I now want to read 'Heroines of the Medieval World' as well. Like 'Heroines of the Tudor World', I'm sure it will be a wonderful insight into those women who are lesser known, as well as those who are royal and better known.
Sharon Bennett Connolly writes engaging history, and is obviously passionate about exploring the lives of women from all backgrounds and different periods of history. Her knowledge and expertise in women's history really shines through, making this book an absolute joy to read.
June 27, 2024
Meticulously researched, written in a fluid, informative & engaging way, these factors made it hard to put this book down!
Whether you are well versed with the fairer sex of the 16th century or not, this is a must read for any Tudor enthusiast.
To begin, Bennett Conolly explains to the reader how a woman in this period is no more than a piece of property - first owned by her father, then by her husband; she is a necessity for breeding, carrying on a man's lineage & dynasty, she is as of much use as cattle, even less so if she fails to reproduce.
We dive right in meeting many different types of women from royalty to pirates - nuns to wealthy heiresses; Catholics, Protestants, Holy women, Queens, princesses, widows & whores.
Many big names of the time feature e.g Elizabeth I alongside her mother Anne Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, Bess of Hardwick, Anne Askew, Margaret Pole, Mary & Margaret Tudor, Margaret Beaufort etc
Each chapter flows so effortlessly from one woman of focus to the next.
Each section on these women is just enough, not a huge information dump looking into every crevice of their lives; many of their stories are interlinked e.g Lady Rochford & Katherine Howard, Anne & Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn & princess Mary etc also giving us the opportunity to view these women in a different light, through their part in someone else's story.
It was extremely refreshing to read not just a paragraph or a chapter but a whole book dedicated to many women in their own right, who often only appear in history books as a footnote - the wife or mother of so & so.
These women were intelligent, courageous, unique & brilliant all in their own ways - all fighting against the norms, expectations & boundaries of their sex in an extremely tumultuous & violent age.
A great read, would highly recommend.
Whether you are well versed with the fairer sex of the 16th century or not, this is a must read for any Tudor enthusiast.
To begin, Bennett Conolly explains to the reader how a woman in this period is no more than a piece of property - first owned by her father, then by her husband; she is a necessity for breeding, carrying on a man's lineage & dynasty, she is as of much use as cattle, even less so if she fails to reproduce.
We dive right in meeting many different types of women from royalty to pirates - nuns to wealthy heiresses; Catholics, Protestants, Holy women, Queens, princesses, widows & whores.
Many big names of the time feature e.g Elizabeth I alongside her mother Anne Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, Bess of Hardwick, Anne Askew, Margaret Pole, Mary & Margaret Tudor, Margaret Beaufort etc
Each chapter flows so effortlessly from one woman of focus to the next.
Each section on these women is just enough, not a huge information dump looking into every crevice of their lives; many of their stories are interlinked e.g Lady Rochford & Katherine Howard, Anne & Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn & princess Mary etc also giving us the opportunity to view these women in a different light, through their part in someone else's story.
It was extremely refreshing to read not just a paragraph or a chapter but a whole book dedicated to many women in their own right, who often only appear in history books as a footnote - the wife or mother of so & so.
These women were intelligent, courageous, unique & brilliant all in their own ways - all fighting against the norms, expectations & boundaries of their sex in an extremely tumultuous & violent age.
A great read, would highly recommend.
June 17, 2024
The world of the 16th century was full of change and equally colorful characters. Most of the dynamic figures of this century were women, who were willing to fight in their ways for what they believed in, whether it was family, faith, or their country. They were heroines in different ways, and each had a story to tell. Each woman had to deal with her obstacles to reach their desired goal, no matter what her station was, from queens and great heiresses to nuns, and even a pirate. Sharon Bennett Connolly has decided to include a handful of these stories in her latest book, “Heroines of the Tudor World.”
I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have been a fan of Sharon Bennett Connolly’s books on medieval women, so when I heard that she was going to tackle the 16th-century and the Tudor world, I knew I wanted to read it. I wanted to see what stories she would select and how far into the Tudor world she would explore.
Connolly begins her book by explaining how the 16th century differed from the medieval times as records about women were becoming more accessible. It was also a time of transition, reformation, and the discovery of the “new world.” Each chapter focuses on a different kind of woman; from the ideal to martyrs for their faiths, scandalous heroines, those who were disinherited, pawns in the bigger game of life, warriors, captives, and survivors. Although it can be difficult to place certain tales of women in just one category, Connolly gave her readers a thrilling look into the 16th century.
It was the stories of these extraordinary women who made this book an exceptional read. There are the typical women who are featured heavily in these kinds of narratives; Elizabeth of York, Margaret Beaufort, the wives of Henry VIII, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and Catherine de Medici. However, Connolly decided to include lesser-known women. We have mistresses like Diane de Poitiers and spies like Margaret Dymoke, Lady Coffin. Some great heiresses were disinherited like Claude of France and Elizabeth Fitzgerald, as well as pawns like Marguerite de Valois and captives such as Lady Katherine Gordon and Honor Grenville, Lady Lisle. Of course, some women decided to take matters into their own hands and fight for what they believed in, such as Isabella of Castile, Jeanne d’Albret Queen of Navarre, and Grace O’Malley.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the heroines that Connolly included in this book, but my only complaint is that it was not a longer book. There are so many interesting women outside of the European world in the 16th century and I wish she would have highlighted them. Maybe Connolly will write a sequel book to this one to include even more Tudor heroines. If you have enjoyed Sharon Bennett Connolly’s previous books and you are a Tudor nerd, I highly suggest you read, “Heroines of the Tudor World.”
I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have been a fan of Sharon Bennett Connolly’s books on medieval women, so when I heard that she was going to tackle the 16th-century and the Tudor world, I knew I wanted to read it. I wanted to see what stories she would select and how far into the Tudor world she would explore.
Connolly begins her book by explaining how the 16th century differed from the medieval times as records about women were becoming more accessible. It was also a time of transition, reformation, and the discovery of the “new world.” Each chapter focuses on a different kind of woman; from the ideal to martyrs for their faiths, scandalous heroines, those who were disinherited, pawns in the bigger game of life, warriors, captives, and survivors. Although it can be difficult to place certain tales of women in just one category, Connolly gave her readers a thrilling look into the 16th century.
It was the stories of these extraordinary women who made this book an exceptional read. There are the typical women who are featured heavily in these kinds of narratives; Elizabeth of York, Margaret Beaufort, the wives of Henry VIII, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and Catherine de Medici. However, Connolly decided to include lesser-known women. We have mistresses like Diane de Poitiers and spies like Margaret Dymoke, Lady Coffin. Some great heiresses were disinherited like Claude of France and Elizabeth Fitzgerald, as well as pawns like Marguerite de Valois and captives such as Lady Katherine Gordon and Honor Grenville, Lady Lisle. Of course, some women decided to take matters into their own hands and fight for what they believed in, such as Isabella of Castile, Jeanne d’Albret Queen of Navarre, and Grace O’Malley.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the heroines that Connolly included in this book, but my only complaint is that it was not a longer book. There are so many interesting women outside of the European world in the 16th century and I wish she would have highlighted them. Maybe Connolly will write a sequel book to this one to include even more Tudor heroines. If you have enjoyed Sharon Bennett Connolly’s previous books and you are a Tudor nerd, I highly suggest you read, “Heroines of the Tudor World.”
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews