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The Mother and Daughter Who Forever Changed British History
by Tracy Borman
Anne Boleyn may be best known for losing her head, but as Tudor expert Tracy Borman reveals in a book that recasts British history, her greatest legacy lies in the path-breaking reign of her daughter, Elizabeth
Much of the fascination with Britain's legendary Tudors centers around the dramas surrounding Henry VIII and his six wives and Elizabeth I's rumored liaisons. Yet the most fascinating relationship in that historic era may well be that between the mother and daughter who, individually and collectively, changed the course of British history.
The future Queen Elizabeth was not yet three when her mother, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded on May 19, 1536, on Henry's order, incensed that she had not given him a son and tired of her contentious nature. Elizabeth had been raised away from court, rarely even seeing Anne; and after her death, Henry tried in every way to erase Anne's presence and memory. At that moment in history, few could have predicted that mother and daughter would each leave enduring, and interlocked, legacies. Yet as Tracy Borman reveals in this first-ever joint portrait, both women broke the mold for British queens and for women in general at the time. Anne was instrumental in reforming and reshaping forever Britain's religious traditions, and her years of wielding power over a male-dominated court provided an inspiring role model for Elizabeth's glittering, groundbreaking 45-year reign. Indeed, Borman shows how much Elizabeth—most visibly by refusing to ever marry, but in many other more subtle ways that defined her court—was influenced by her mother's legacy.
In its originality, Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I sheds new light on two of history's most famous women—the private desires, hopes, and fears that lay behind their dazzling public personas, and the surprising influence each had on the other during and after their lifetimes. In the process, Tracy Borman reframes our understanding of the entire Tudor era.
"Rewarding ... Beautifully envisioned and full of insight, this is a must-read for Tudor history buffs." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Anne Boleyn may have been a minor historical figure compared to her daughter, but the author delivers an insightful portrait." —Kirkus Reviews
"Highly recommended for readers interested in British history, royalty, and the Tudor era." —Library Journal
This information about Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tracy Borman is England's joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust, and Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln. She is the author of many highly acclaimed books, including Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy from William the Conqueror to Charles III; Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him; The Private Lives of the Tudors: Uncovering the Secrets of Britain's Greatest Dynasty; Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant; Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I; Elizabeth's Women: Friends, Rivals, and Foes Who Shaped the Virgin Queen; Witches: A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction; as well as the trilogy of novels The King's Witch, The Devil's Slave, and The Fallen Angel. Borman is also a regular broadcaster and accomplished public speaker.
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