The King's Mother:
Book Three of The Beaufort Chronicle
By Judith Arnopp
By Judith Arnopp
October
1485. With the English crown finally in his possession,
Henry Tudor’s endeavours to restore order to the realm are hindered by
continuing unrest. While the king is plagued with uprisings and pretenders to
his throne, Margaret in her capacity as The King’s Mother oversees the running
of his court.
The warring houses of York and Lancaster are united, the years of civil strife are at an end but, as the royal nursery fills with children, the threats to Henry’s throne persist and Margaret’s expectation of perfect harmony begins to disintegrate.
As quickly as Henry dispatches those whose move against him, new conflicts arise and, dogged by deceit and the harrowing shadow of death, Margaret realises that her time for peace has not yet come.
Intrigue, treason and distrust blights the new Tudor dynasty, challenging Margaret’s strength of character and her steadfast faith in God.
The King’s Mother is the third and final book in The Beaufort Chronicles, tracing the life of Margaret Beaufort.
The warring houses of York and Lancaster are united, the years of civil strife are at an end but, as the royal nursery fills with children, the threats to Henry’s throne persist and Margaret’s expectation of perfect harmony begins to disintegrate.
As quickly as Henry dispatches those whose move against him, new conflicts arise and, dogged by deceit and the harrowing shadow of death, Margaret realises that her time for peace has not yet come.
Intrigue, treason and distrust blights the new Tudor dynasty, challenging Margaret’s strength of character and her steadfast faith in God.
The King’s Mother is the third and final book in The Beaufort Chronicles, tracing the life of Margaret Beaufort.
“I have always imagined that once
Henry was safely in possession of his throne, our trials would be trivial, or
vanish altogether. I never envisaged anything as horrible as this…”
Lady Margaret Beaufort had waited
her whole life for this. It had been fourteen very long years since she had
last seen her son. But now the impossible has happened. Henry has won the crown
in the bloody fields of Bosworth, and now he was by the Grace of God, King of
England and France and Lord of Ireland. Henry’s reign would be one of peaceful
unity.
But for a country that has lived in
the shadow of a savage civil war for so long, peace does not come easily. There
will always be those who smile in the sunlight and yet, whisper words of
treachery in the shadows. The early years of Henry’s reign would see him fight
to keep his newly acquired crown.
Margaret knows this is not a time to
be weak. It is a time for strength and steadfastness. The Tudor dynasty would
endure, no matter what.
From the grandeur of Henry’s coronation at Westminster Abbey to his demise at Richmond Palace, The King’s
Mother: Book Three of The Beaufort Chronicle by
Judith Arnopp is the shamelessly compelling story of the latter part of Lady
Margaret Beaufort’s life and the reign of Henry VII.
I was so looking forward to reading
Book 3 of The Beaufort Chronicles, and I am pleased to say that Arnopp did not
disappoint. Arnopp has crafted not only an immensely readable retelling of
Henry VII reign, but she has also created an exceptionally appealing character
in Margaret. I adored Arnopp’s interpretation of Margaret, she has not
portrayed her as a cold and unfeeling woman, as many historical fiction authors
do, but as a warm and loving mother and grandmother, who only wants what is
best for her family and the country that she loves. Margaret is a stickler for
rules and is nobodies fool, but I think that is what made her all the more appealing.
I think Arnopp’s interpretation of Margaret is by far more believable than
others that I have read.
Arnopp has taken great pains to
stick to the documented history of this period. This was a time of
rebellions and pretenders, who threatened Henry’s rule. At the same time, Henry
was desperately trying to bring unity between the House of Lancaster and the
House of York. It was a terrible struggle for him and one that is not always
appreciated. Whether you like it or not, Henry did bring an end to this bitter
rivalry, and he proved that he had what it took to be a very strong and on the
most part, successful King.
When you mention the name Tudor, one
automatically thinks of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I, but Henry VII is just as
fascinating. Henry lives in the shadows of his son for the wrong reasons. Henry
is vastly different from his son. Anropp has given us a very calm and collected
character in Henry VII, who struggle with the responsibilities that comes with being
the king. I thought Arnopp’s interpretation of Henry was brilliant. The young Arthur is also portrayed as having the same calm temper as his father. This book did
make me wonder what history would have been like if Arthur had lived and ruled
instead of his brother. Can you imagine that? No Henry VIII. No controversy.
Nevertheless, we cannot get away
from Henry VIII. In the pages of this book, he is conceived, and he grows into
a very boisterous and flamboyant young man who longs for adventure and sport.
He resents having to learn to be a king when his brother dies. Politics does
not interest him, hunting and jousting do. Henry has temper tantrums, he is
very good at sulking, but he can also be incredibly caring and feels things
very deeply. Arnopp has captured the young Henry very well, and she has
undoubtedly paved the way for the king he was to become.
Told in the first person from
Margaret’s perspective, Arnopp brings fresh eyes to this thoroughly documented
time in history and gives it life. The fear that Margaret has, as Queen
Elizabeth did as well, that Perkin Warbeck, was, in fact, Richard, Duke of York
which would have made him Elizabeth’s brother, was approached with incredible
sensitivity. Margaret does not want Perkin to be Richard, because she loved
Richard, but she is torn because if he is Richard, it would be a disaster for
her son and her grandchildren. This terrible conflict that Margaret
feels was masterfully written.
I enjoyed Margaret, the grandmother.
She is a very loving lady, who adores her grandchildren and in return they
adore her. I was so happy for her that at last she is surrounded by children,
which was from the very beginning what she wanted. I could not help but like
her.
Margaret is not a vain woman, but I
enjoyed some lighter moments when she reflects upon her appearance and how she
dresses. She knows she has never been a great beauty, but Arnopp has given her
a very beautiful soul, which shines through the pages of the book so brightly.
She is a very compassionate woman, which may surprise those who are more used
to Margaret being very cold and stern. I think Arnopp's interpretation of her is
lovely. Arnopp is one of those writers who can make history come alive and
breathe life into characters that have long been dead.
If you are a fan of the Tudor era,
then The Beaufort Chronicle should definitely be on your to-read list, and even
if you know nothing about the War of the Roses and the rise of the Tudors,
but are interested, then this series is also the one for you. You can learn a
lot about this era while reading this series, and the storytelling is sublime.
You will not be disappointed.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pick up your copy of
The King's Mother:
Book Three of The Beaufort Chronicle
Judith Arnopp
Congratulations on your award, Judith!
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