The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Modern England [Hardcover]

Retha M. Warnicke (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521770378 | ISBN-13: 978-0521770378 | Publication Date: April 13, 2000 | Edition: First Edition

This book is a study of the marrying of Anne of Cleves to King Henry VIII. It contains fascinating material--including "demonic" interference and sexual politics at court--that differs greatly from the usual stereotyped accounts of Anne. It also provides a rich new context of royal courtship rituals, and a startling account of the king's failure to consummate his marriage. Henry's decision to ally himself with this German noblewoman in 1540 was in part a reaction to the Franco-Imperial Treaty mediated by Pope Paul III, who renewed a suspended bull of excommunication against Henry in the hope of isolating England diplomatically. The subsequent marriage procedures, from the advent of negotiations and the portrait of Anne by Hans Holbein the Younger to Henry's Rochester greeting of Anne--in disguise--and the Greenwich nuptials, all followed usual royal protocol. However, the king's sexual incapacity, which prevented the consummation of the marriage, culminated in the fall and subsequent execution of Thomas Cromwell and his client Lord Hungerford, who were both tarred with the brush of sexual heresy. Retha M. Warnicke is Professor of History at Arizona State University. She is the author of several books, including The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn (Cambridge 1989).

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is neither a biography of Anne nor of Henry; it is an account of his quest for a fourth wife that culminated in his failed marriage to her. It examines his marrying behavior and strategies for the purpose of relating them to the expected royal protocol and practices of early modern England. Material from the courtship and marriages of other monarchs, often from foreign dynasties, will provide a contextual framework for the study. Attempts will be made to indicate when wooing and wedding practices emerged and whether and how by the end of the seventeenth century they had been altered. This does not pretend to be a comprehensive study of early modern courtship; only enough evidence, some of it substantial, will be offered to provide a window into marrying customs and thereby to provide a fuller understanding of the reasons for the making and breaking of Henry's fourth marriage." from the Introduction

"...Warnicke has read across an impressive breadth of sources...ab extraordinarily potent study of the realities of dynastic political imperatives in an age of personal monarchy..." H-Net Reviews

"...this valuable study is well documented and highly recommended for upper-division undergraduates through faculty interested in Tudor-Stuart and early modern history." Choice

"...interested in sixteenth-century diplomacy, court politics, and elite marriages will enjoy this richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book." Religious Studies Review

"Warnicke's investigation into negotiations surrounding the marrying and divorcing of Anne of Cleves makes for a fascinating read" Sixteenth Century Jrnl

"Warnicke's book is extremely helpful in understanding the meanings methods, and rituals of diplomacy in Tudor England and the ways that royal marriages were arranged and conducted. This study affords its readers more insight into Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell, and presents Anne of Cleves as a far more nuanced character than earlier studies of Henry's six wives. With both clear and sophisticated analysis she weaves together political history with an understanding of the implications of gender and beliefs about sexuality....first-rate...should gain a wide readership." Renaissance Quarterly

"thought-provoking study" Albion

Book Description

This book is a study of the marrying of Anne of Cleves to King Henry VIII. It contains fascinating material which differs greatly from the usual stereotyped accounts of Anne, a rich new context for royal courtship rituals, and a startling account of the king's failure to consummate his marriage. Contrary to the standard view, Henry's marriage procedures all followed standard protocol. But his subsequent sexual incapacity culminated in the fall and subsequent execution of Thomas Cromwell and his client Lord Hungerford, both tarred with the brush of sexual heresy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 362 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First Edition edition (April 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521770378
• ISBN-13: 978-0521770378
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > British > King Henry VIII

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Warnicke's "The Marrying of Anne of Cleves" an Engaging Read, July 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Modern England (Hardcover)

Dr. Warnicke's latest book is quite enlightening. I admit that I didn't know much about Anne of Cleves or how she came to be married to Henry VIII, but learned that what I had read was largely inaccurate. Dr. Warnicke makes Anne's situation quite clear, much as she did in her book about Anne Boleyn.

The information about royal protocol in selecting and securing foreign-born brides was also fascinating. The book definitely bears a second reading, IMO.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Mode, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Modern England (Hardcover)

Excellent! Lots of detail and background. Ms. Warnicke provides details from many courts and now I finally understand just how Anne of Cleves ended up in England. I enjoyed this as much as her previous book on Anne Boleyn.

16 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, July 5, 2000

By 

Melanie H. Supranowich - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Modern England (Hardcover)

When I first started this book I was hoping that it was one that would give some insight into the life of Anne of Cleves, what she was like as a person etc. I was also hoping that it would touch on the controversty surrounding the portrait done of her by Hans Holbein (it mentions the scandal briefly to say that he did not misrepresent her in the portrait). Instead it focuses on marriage and uses Anne as its example. Not to say that this topic was not interesting, I just felt as though the title was misleading in terms of the book's subject matter. It really does not talk about her until you are half way through the book. I would recomend reading this book but only after it has become a paperback or if you want to know about the history of marriage within the Church.