Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown

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The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series delves into the private life of the legendary King Henry VIII and his tumultuous reign in this remarkable historical novel. After completing her series on Henry's wives, Alison Weir now gives voice to Henry himself, recounting his extraordinary thirty-six-year reign and six marriages. Young Henry began as a chivalrous Renaissance prince, embodying virtue and promise, yet history remembers him primarily for his violence. He famously broke with the Pope, founding the Church of England and igniting a religious revolution that fractured his kingdom. His reign was marked by the beheading of two wives and the dismissal of two others, culminating in a suspicious, obese, disease-riddled tyrant who died old before his time. Yet, the reality of his reign is far more intricate. The narrative brings to life an idealistic monarch who expanded Parliament, founded the Royal Navy, modernized medical training, and patronized the arts. A passionate man seeking true love, he was constrained by the need for a male heir, making him as much a victim of circumstance as his unhappy wives. Had fate been kinder, the course of English history might have been altered. This is the story of the private man behind the legend, who left an extraordinary legacy—a modern Britain.