Six Books for the Six Wives of Henry VIII (episode 27)

Whether you know me personally or not, if you’re listening to the
podcast you’re probably not surprised to hear I LOVE the six
wives! I loved seeing the new musical SIX in London and in New
York. I love the television specials. I fell in love with history
and the Tudors and began my obsession with Anne Boleyn watching
the BBC production from back in the seventies (rebroadcast on PBS
here in the US). I am a big six wives fan.

It makes sense, then, that I wrap up my focus on books by looking
at books about the Six Wives of Henry VIII. I decided to choose a
book for each wife. The publication dates span more than 100
years, with the earliest book published in 1896 (!) and the most
recent in 2014. Even 2014 feels like a long time ago, so I might
have my next project identified!

My criteria was that the book focus on the wives instead of the
husband—he makes appearances, of course, and inserts his larger
than life body and personality into the books just as he did into
his marriages. But for the most part, Henry is placed in a
supporting role, the husband that brings this fascinating group
of women together. So let’s meet the six wives through six
authors’ views of them.

Amy License, The Six Wives and Many Mistresses of Henry VIII: The
Women’s Stories (pub date 2014) and Katherine of Aragon.

Karen Lindsey, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived (pub date 1995) and
Anne Boleyn.

Sarah Tytler, Tudor Queens and Princesses,  (pub date 1896)
and Jane Seymour.

Alison Weir, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, (pub date 1991) and
Anne of Cleves.

Antonia Fraser, The Wives of Henry VIII (pub 1992) and Katherine
Howard.

David Loades, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (pub 1996) and
Katherine Parr.

I get the feeling that Henry VIII would describe his life with
himself at the center, as the sun, with other people rotating
around him, including these six women. But I think that in fact,
the women had the real light—the intelligence, courage,
determination, compassion, and abilities that created the power
of Henry VIII’s reign. They were not just the power behind the
throne, they were the power of the throne.


History shows us what's possible.