Customer Reviews

Letters of Henry Viii, 1526--29: Extracts from the Calendar of State Papers of Henry VIII (Uncovered Editions)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These are letters from those years when Henry was breaking with the Catholic Church in order to marry Anne Boleyn (and, not incidentally, eliminate its influence on English matters of state). It is part of the Uncovered Editions series, which publishes historic official papers not previously available in popular form.

I'm a great believer in going to original source material, and this book shows that it's well worth the effort.

The machinations and manœuverings are fascinating, as Henry and the Emperor each seeks to engage the Pope in his own interests. When a rumor spreads that the Pope has died, letters are sent calling for threats and bribery to install a Pope favorable to the King's cause. But he's not dead, after all.

The Papacy and the Church are clearly shown as weak and vacillating, ( not to mention corrupt, as the Pope rewards those who contribute to his wars with cardinal's robes). The King doesn't exactly come off well, either, as one has a hard time believing that he really believed the dispensation invalid. His behavior towards Wolsey, whose strenuous efforts in his monarch's behalf were a failure, was, to put it mildly, ungrateful.

Two quibbles (resulting in a "4" rather than a "5"). The title is a tad misleading as it implies that the letters were written by Henry, and although some are, the majority are from other players in the Divorce. Also, the notes could have been more expansive.

Despite that, it's a most interesting collection.

While I wouldn't recommend this book for the casual reader who wants to know more about King Henry VIII, for scholars, it's wonderful to be able to see the original source documents that are so often briefly quoted in biographies.