Henry VIII Court, Church and Conflict

Henry VIII focuses on the fluctuating, often fraught relationship between the king and his court, his Church and his people - and with the other powers of continental Europe. It shows how Henry manipulated key players such as Wolsey, Cromwell, Fisher and More, and how his royal image was shaped over decades of change. It also probes the intriguing nature of the man behind the monarch - his passions, his pleasures and complex religious beliefs. Tudor historian David Loades explores the expectations that contemporaries had of the Renaissance prince who ascended to the throne and the England that the young king inherited. He considers Henry's rich and varied reign in detail, revealing his role in the court, in wars, law enforcement, rebellions and the problem of Ireland, illustrating the narrative with original National Archives documents and full color portraits. Finally Loades unravels the ambiguous but still tangible legacy that this most high profile of monarchs has left us.

David Loades is Professor Emeritus of the University of Wales and an Associate of the Centre for Early Modern History at the University of Oxford. A leading historian on Tudor England, his recent books include Princes of Wales:Royal heirs in waiting, The Cecils: Privilege and power behind the throne and Mary Tudor: The tragical history of the first queen of England ( all published by The National Archives).

Preface: 1 The Renaissance Prince; 2 The King's Court; 1 The King at War; 4 The King's Great Matter; 5 The King's Laws; 6 The King's Government; 7 The King's Enemies; 8 The King's Other Island; 9 The King's Religion; 10 The King's Last Years; Notes on the text; Further Reading; Index