Bloody Mary: The Life of Mary Tudor [Paperback]

Carolly Erickson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1993

Mary I was the first queen to rule England (1553-58) in her own right. She was known as Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants in a vain attempt to restore Roman Catholicism in England. The daughter of King Henry VIII and the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, Mary as a child was a pawn in England's bitter rivalry with more powerful nations, and was later regularly offered for marriage to potential allics. Mary's life was radically altered by her father's marriage to Anne Boleyn. Henry had planned for some time to divorce Catherine in order to marry Anne Boleyn, claiming that, since Catherine had been his deceased brother's wife, her union with Henry was incestuous. As the Pope refused to recognise Henry's right to divorce Catherine, Henry broke with Rome and established the Church of England. Anne Boleyn, the new queen, bore the King a daughter, Elizabeth (the future queen), forbade Mary access to her parents, stripped her of her title of princess, and forced her to act as lady-in-waiting to the infant Elizabeth. Mary never saw her mother again. Even after Henry remarried, Mary was not able to free herself of the epithet of bastard, and her movements were severely restricted. Mary went on to win the throne when the odds were overwhelmingly against her. With her unique blend of scholarship and literary distinction, Carolly Erickson brings Mary Tudor to life in one of her most masterly and compelling books.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Carolly Erickson, a prize-winning historian and biographer, became a full-time writer in 1970. She has written ten books, all published in the UK by Robson Books, including To the Scaffold: The Life of Marie Antoinette, The First Elizabeth, Great Harry and Josephine: A Life of the Empress. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 533 pages
• Publisher: Quill (June 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688116418
• ISBN-13: 978-0688116415
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,380,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carolly Erickson is the bestselling author of many distinguished works of nonfiction and a series of historical entertainments, blending fact and invention. She lives in Hawaii.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dark side of English history, August 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Bloody Mary: The Life of Mary Tudor (Paperback)

What, out of print? What a shame. Carolly Erickson has outdone herself with this hefty volume, devoted to chronicling the dark side of English history. She fills us in on heartbreaking details of the Tudor family saga, keeps a lively sense of international conflicts; and very nearly creates sympathy for the self-described "unhappiest lady in Christendom" -- whose death was celebrated as a national holiday.

5.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible and Exhaustive Study of Mary Tudor's Life!, October 3, 2008

By 

Aimee Thor "Aimee Thor" (Xenia, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Mary (Paperback)

One of the best biographies on Mary Tudor, "Bloody Mary" ever written! The authoress outdoes herself and makes a fantastic dive into the good and the horrible events that outlined Bloody Mary's reign. This books is long and a bit overly detailed in places, but it is necessary to give the voluminous background on the life of this queen who was hated bitterly by many of her subjects. You won't be disappointed in this biography, especially if you want facts, details, and emotional input. A FANTASTIC ALL-AROUND BIOGRAPHY!!