Elizabeth of York (Queenship and Power) [Hardcover]

Arlene Naylor Okerlund (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2009 | Series: Queenship and Power

This book tells the story of the queen whose marriage to King Henry VII ended England’s Wars of the Roses and inaugurated the 118-year Tudor dynasty. Best known as the mother of Henry VIII and grandmother of Elizabeth I, this Queen Elizabeth contributed far beyond the act of giving birth to future monarchs. Her marriage to Henry VII unified the feuding houses of Lancaster and York, and her popularity with the people helped her husband survive rebellions that plagued his first decade of rule. Queen Elizabeth’s gracious manners and large family created a warm, convivial Court marked by a rather exceptional fondness between the royal couple. Her love for music, literature, and architecture also helped inspire England’s Renaissance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book is a welcome addition to the sparse literature about one of England’s more dynastically important queens. Illuminating and fascinating.”—Renaissance Quarterly

“Arlene Okerlund's lucid biography of Elizabeth of York draws on detailed research to provide a long overdue account of the tumultuous life of one of England's best loved queens. It is a compelling tale of Renaissance culture and ritual, intrigue and tragedy.”-- J. L. Laynesmith, Author of The Last Medieval Queens

“This work aims to rescue the queen from the perception that she was a merely marginal player in the establishment of the Tudor dynasty. Forced to negotiate complex family relationships while maintaining a loving relationship with her husband and king, Okerlund’s Elizabeth emerges as a figure central to the accomplishments of the first Tudor court, so much so that her early death produced a catastrophe from which Henry never recovered. Okerlund’s biography produces a lively narrative and a credible portrait of the queen’s character together with a meticulous reassessment of the available evidence.”--Gordon Kipling, Professor of English, University of California, Los Angeles

 

About the Author

Arlene Naylor Okerlund is Professor Emerita of English, retired after a career of teaching Renaissance literature at San José State University in California. Her earlier biography Elizabeth Wydeville: The Slandered Queen is now available in paperback as Elizabeth: England’s Slandered Queen. Her biography of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Elizabeth Wydeville and mother of Henry VIII, continues the story of England’s royal court at the beginning of the Renaissance. At San José State University, she served six years as Dean, College of Humanities and the Arts, and seven years as Academic Vice President. In retirement, she teaches with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and continues her research in medieval and Renaissance studies. The author of scholarly articles on Shakespeare, Spenser, Marlowe, Donne, and Dryden, she also writes for popular audiences, including the newsletter of the Peninsula Banjo Band with which she plays tenor banjo.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230618278
• ISBN-13: 978-0230618275
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,308,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arlene Okerlund, Professor Emerita of English, retired after a career of teaching Renaissance literature at San José State University in California. After several years in the classroom, she served six years as Dean, College of Humanities and the Arts, and seven years as Academic Vice President before returning to her first loves of teaching and research. The author of scholarly articles on Shakespeare, Spenser, Marlowe, Donne, and Dryden, Professor Okerlund also writes for popular audiences, including the newsletter of the Peninsula Banjo Band with which she plays tenor banjo.