Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Norton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2010

'I like her not!' was the verdict of Henry VIII on meeting his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, for the first time, complaining that he had been sent a 'Flander's mare'. Anne, having been promised the most handsome prince in Europe, was also destined to be disappointed in the elderly and corpulent king.

Forced to proceed with their wedding for diplomatic reasons, Henry and Anne tried to make the best of the situation, but attempts to consummate the match were farcical. After only seven months of marriage Henry was so desperate to rid himself of Anne that he declared himself impotent in order to secure a divorce. Anne was also eager to end her marriage and, with her clever handling of Henry obtained one of the biggest divorce settlements in English history. Following her divorce, Anne made good use of her many properties, including Richmond Palace, Hever Castle and the house at Lewes now known as 'Anne of Cleves' House'.

Anne of Cleves is often portrayed as a stupid and comical figure. The real Anne was both intelligent and practical, ensuring that, whilst she was queen for the shortest period, she was the last of all Henry VIII's wives to survive. Henry's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell lost his head for his role in the Cleves marriage, but Anne's shrewdness ensured she kept hers. Anne of Cleves led a dramatic and often dangerous life but, for all this, of Henry VIII's six wives, she is truly the wife that survived.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Norton gained her first degree from the Universiy of Cambridge, and her Masters from the University of Oxford. Her other books include Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII's Obsession, Jane Seymour: Henry VIII's True Love (both published by Amberley Publishing) and She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of England. She lives in Kingston Upon Thames.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 191 pages
• Publisher: Amberley (February 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1848683294
• ISBN-13: 978-1848683297
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,726,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than I expected, August 31, 2010

By 

cyberpiglet "cyberpiglet" (Coudersport, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride (Hardcover)

It's a shame that this book seems to have gone out of print so quickly. I bought it mainly for the photo section. (The photos in Norton's Jane Seymour were by far the best part of the book). On that count Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride did not disappoint. Numerous photos give a glance into Anne and her world. Having found the book on Jane Seymour to be a disappointment, I wasn't expecting much here, but I was pleasantly suprised. Although this is in no way the serious biography that Anne of Cleves deserves, it was a quick and pleasant read, and Ms. Norton delved into Anne's German roots more than I would have expected. A fair amount of attention is also given to Anne's life and financial situation following her divorce. Ms. Norton largely restrains herself from supplying her subject with thoughts and emotions that she has no way of knowing. Perhaps this is because she finds the German Anne more of a puzzle than she did Anne Boleyn or Jane Seymour, but it serves her subject well. Although I'm still waiting for that serious biography of Anne, this book offered a brief and enjoyable glance into the life of Henry's most elusive queen.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fortunate Wife, February 2, 2010

By 

Loves the View "Louise" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride (Hardcover)

Norton is profiling Henry XIII's wives. This volume follows Norton's book on Jane Seymour. The Jane book was wanting, perhaps due to her short life and time of fame. This new book is a very good account of Anne and how she came to marry Henry, how he came to divorce her and her life beyond his.

The author is sympathetic to her subject. Anne comes to England speaking German. She has had little formal education and very little worldly experience. She is a bridal candidate somewhat by default. Her marriage deteriorated quickly. She does not understand why and is humiliated by it. Anne tries to be the pleasing model wife, but Henry's lack of attraction to her is deep. As it becomes a legal issue, Norton describes what little room she had to maneuver.

Norton feels Anne is the most fortunate of all Henry's wives. She survives him, and his gratitude for her not contesting his divorce made her very wealthy... at least for a time.

The author has books coming out soon on Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr.

5.0 out of 5 stars biography, November 11, 2011

By 

a viewer (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride (Paperback)

For people who love the Tudor period, this is an excellent biography. The author has pulled as much information as possible about Anne from various sources. This is an excellent book.