The Divorce of Henry VIII: The Untold Story from Inside the Vatican [Hardcover]

Catherine Fletcher (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 19, 2012

In 1533 the English monarch Henry VIII decided to divorce his wife of twenty years Catherine of Aragon in pursuit of a male heir to ensure the Tudor line. He was also head over heels in love with his wife’s lady in waiting Anne Boleyn, the future mother of Elizabeth I. But getting his freedom involved a terrific web of intrigue through the enshrined halls of the Vatican that resulted in a religious schism and the formation of the Church of England. Henry’s man in Rome was a wily Italian diplomat named Gregorio Casali who drew no limits on skullduggery including kidnapping, bribery and theft to make his king a free man. In this absorbing narrative, winner of the Rome Fellowship prize and University of Durham historian Catherine Fletcher draws on hundreds of previously-unknown Italian archive documents to tell the colorful tale from the inside story inside the Vatican.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (June 19, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230341519
• ISBN-13: 978-0230341517
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > History > Europe > Vatican

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Engagingly written…recommended.”­--Choice

"An impressive, dogged study for armchair Tudor detectives.”--Kirkus Reviews

 

“An eye-opening book, an intricate and fascinating story of an elusive man with an impossible job. A brilliant and impressive feat of original research, and necessary reading for anyone fascinated by the story of Henry’s divorce... Catherine Fletcher has allowed the story to tell itself, except that she’s been so clever in the telling of it, cutting through to what matters without over-simplifying.” –Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

 

“This book casts bright light on an extraordinary cast of characters at a dark moment in the affairs of Christendom. With considerable scholarship, borne lightly, Catherine Fletcher vividly evokes the worlds of Papal Rome and of Henry VIII's Court in England, and deciphers the diplomacy of nightmare.”--Susan Brigden, author of New Worlds, Lost Worlds: The Rule of the Tudors

“It is no small achievement to find previously unexplored documents and to offer a new take on one of the most famous divorces in history. Yet Fletcher does just that with great scholarly verve and literary aplomb. This is a compelling tale of high politics and dodgy dealings, renaissance diplomacy and family drama. This is the untold story of Gregorio ‘The Cavalier’ Casali Henry VIII’s man in Rome.”—Anna Whitelock, author of Mary Tudor

 

“Catherine Fletcher rescues from undeserved obscurity a key player in one of history’s great events. Gregorio Casali turns out to be a thoroughly intriguing character: a skilled diplomat, but also a controversial networker, bribester, and all-around fixer who went by the code name Bald Head. With impeccable scholarship and a zest for the delightful minutiae of history, Fletcher navigates the intricate byways of Renaissance diplomacy to bring this vital new figure into the story of Henry VIII’s ‘great matter.’”—Ross King, author of Brunelleschi’s Dome and The Judgment of Paris

 

"This entertaining and meticulously researched study casts new light on a famous episode in English history."--Linda Porter, author of Katherine the Queen 

 

“A marvel of close-up detective work, with the main players, in addition to those on the English side, being the Emperor Charles V (Catherine’s nephew), the King of France and Pope Clement VII. … And we are in the thick of it from the word go, with lots of nasty backbiting.”—Duncan Fallowell, Daily Express

 

“Catherine Fletcher is not afraid to dazzle the reader with her scholarly prowess and detail, with the result that she has managed here to reclaim a period of history all too often simplified… Fletcher simply tells a cracking story well  in plenty of detail with clarity and insight… Her protagonists are never anything but true to their selves and Fletcher richly deserves the title of historian.”—Sarah Vine, London Times

 

"The greatest joy of this splendid book is that it dwells on context. You'll learn a great deal about why the squabbles between Charles V and the king of France made Italian and papal politics such a muddle. You'll emerge with a keener sense of why the dynastic priorities of Henry VIII ("a mid-ranking northern monarch, a player on the European stage but far from the star of the show") managed to cause such a fuss. With any luck you'll switch off your TV and rely instead on the hard work of experts who can write very well."--Jonathan Wright, The Herald

 

"Fletcher’s glittering debut.... drawing on the unexplored riches of Italian Renaissance archives, enlarges the [well known story], and to magnificent effect."– Miranda Seymour, Sunday Times London

 

“Catherine Fletcher’s [The Divorce of Henry VIII] is beautifully written and offers a clear and accessible account of a neglected figure in Tudor and Papal politics. Her study of Gregorio Casali’s career reveals unexpected links between the worlds of the court, business and the law in London and Rome and offers a fascinating account of how patronage and diplomacy worked in sixteenth-century Europe. It is thoroughly researched and carefully nuanced, providing not merely a gripping tale of Henry VIII's campaign for an annulment of his first marriage, but scholarly insights into the nature of personal politics in the Renaissance. It will find its way into the collection not only of the enthusiast of the period, but the student and the professional historian alike.”--Glenn Richardson, Reader in Early-Modern History, Saint Mary’s University College London

 

 

 

About the Author

Catherine Fletcher holds a PhD in history from the University of London. She is the recipient of many awards and fellowships at the British School at Rome and the European University Institute in Florence. She teaches history at the University of Durham. This is her first book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (June 19, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230341519
• ISBN-13: 978-0230341517
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > History > Europe > Vatican

More About the Author

I was born in Birkenhead, UK and spent my teenage years in Scotland. After graduating from the University of Liverpool I moved to London. I had a stint in student politics then went to work at the BBC Political Unit. I started out on a three-week temp gig making the coffee and five years later found myself producing BBC Parliament's live coverage. During that time a holiday in Florence sparked my interest in Renaissance history and in 2004 I went back to university to study for a PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London. Since then I've lived and studied in Bologna, Rome and Florence. I'm now back in the UK and lecture in history at the University of Sheffield.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Take It Or Leave It April 11, 2012

By John Jorgensen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

There's a good amount of interesting information in this book, much of it little-known; but it didn't particularly add to my existing understanding of the King's Great Matter. It did give some insight into Italy at the end of the Renaissance, though that felt ad hoc and haphazard; Italy is the backdrop to the story being told, but not the story itself. The same approach is taken to the person who is supposed to be the book's central figure, Gregorio Casali, so that he doesn't feel like much of a real presence at all.

Writing style is another issue. While this isn't the worst-written history book I've read, it is pretty inaccessible. A lot of tangents, hard-to-keep-track-of names, and excerpts from quotes that might have been better off either included in their entirety or left out altogether. Paragraphs are longer than they need to be, chapter organization is dubious, and for a book of only 214 pages, it's a pretty steep uphill climb altogether.

If you can't get enough Tudor history, you'll probably find this a pretty worthwhile read; but for the rest of us, while it might be mildly interesting, skipping it would be no great loss.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for general readership April 12, 2012

By Dienne TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

An occupational hazard of being a historian is that you spend years of your life searching through and diligently reading every obscure scrap of paper you can dig up regarding your subject. You read personal correspondence, as well as official documents and accounts from others about your subject. Over time, I'm sure these historical personalities become very real and intimate to such researchers, who begin to feel that they know them personally; they can appreciate their wit and catch on to the inside jokes, barbs and innuendos.

The trick for a historian who hopes to present her subject to a more general, not necessarily scholarly audience is using that deep understanding to bring the historical characters alive, to help your readers feel like they know your characters as well as you do. If done effectively, the result can be quite accessible to and enjoyed by general lay readers while still remaining a valuable scholarly contribution. Unfortunately, Ms. Fletcher doesn't make this leap for her readers. We get the sense of her laughing delightedly at Gregorio Casali's wit and clever diplomatic maneuverings, but we readers are left feeling a bit like, well, I guess you had to be there.

The title of the book is a bit of a misnomer from the outset. If you are looking to understand Henry VIII and the social dynamics and implications of his divorce, you will be disappointed by this book. This book assumes from the outset that the reader is familiar with the ins and outs and major players in the divorce drama. What this work brings to the table is information regarding the diplomatic proceedings as revealed by access to Vatican documents, particularly those concerning Henry VIII's ambassador to Rome, Gregorio Casali.... Rather than looking at Henry VIII's divorce as an English matter, the book takes the perspective of the divorce within the context of the political maneuverings between and among England, the Vatican, and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as other international players such as France, Hungary and the Italian city states. Understood in this context, Henry VIII becomes little more than a bit player on a stage of superstars.

The book presents Gregorio Casali's diplomatic maneuverings on behalf of Henry VIII in Rom in almost tedious detail. Keeping track of the nearly endless lists of fellow ambassadors, monarchs and their minions, the nobility, aristocracy and merchant classes, as well as assorted other players is nearly impossible unless one is already well versed in the Italian Renaissance and the reign of Charles V as Holy Roman Emperor. But basically it boils down to the apparently diligent but ultimately doomed efforts of Casali, his family (most of whom were in the diplomacy business), and other allied diplomats to arrange the legal dissolution of Henry VIII's marriage from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry his "beloved" Anne Boleyn.

Of course, the Catholic Church has long had doctrinal proscriptions against divorce. That in itself, however, could have been easily put aside if it had been deemed strategically important to do so. After all, Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine was doctrinally suspect, as Catherine was originally married to Henry's brother, but such qualms were easily put aside. That doctrinal irregularity then formed the lynchpin which Henry and his minions tried to exploit in order to allow the Pope cover to annul the marriage/allow for a divorce. Unfortunately for Henry VIII, doctrinal matters took second seat to political matters. Most importantly, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (who held control of Florence, which Pope Clement VII hoped to regain for his family, the Medici) was the nephew of Catherine of Aragon, and he was not in favor of her (and her daughter) being put aside in favor of another queen (and her offspring) on the English throne.

And so the challenge was on to find a political way for the divorce to proceed. Perhaps the Pope would provide a secret decretal commission. Perhaps there would be a hearing of some sort, whether held in England, Rome or a "neutral" place. Perhaps learned opinions from university scholars could sway papal opinion (or at least provide papal cover). Perhaps a strategic marriage here or there. Perhaps the right bribe to the right parties. Casali and his allies wined and dined, schemed and plotted for five long years, sometimes delaying, sometimes pressing their case, as the political mood seemed to require. All the while they faced cash flow problems, brutal traveling conditions, illness, spies and hostile counter-maneuverings, all at a time when travel between London and Rome could take upwards of a month, and diplomats were often left to improvise by the seat of their pants. Although she recounts many accusations against Casali claiming that he lacked diligence in (or even actively sabotaged) Henry VIII's "great matter", Ms. Fletcher argues that Henry VIII was in fact well served by Casali and his family and that they were greatly underappreciated and under-rewarded. In any event, as we know of course, all efforts were in vain and the rest, as they say, is history.

As I've indicated, I didn't particularly care for the book, largely because of the tediousness of the endless lists of names and events with very little of the players' personalities coming through. But one thing that does come through is the extent to which supposedly religious matters were all just part of a larger game of money, influence and power. There is very little evidence of anything being done out of genuine religious conviction, but rather for how religious decisions would determine the balance of power. Religious offices were not sought for the sake of ministering to the flock or following the will of God/Christ, nor were such offices bestowed on the most worthy men. Rather, religious offices were bartered and negotiated like any other commodity, sought out for the income and power they could offer, and bestowed on men who could bring the most power back to the bestower.

If you are already familiar with the basics of the divorce of Henry VIII and you have a decent working knowledge of Europe in the early to mid sixteenth century, this book might fill and interesting and valuable gap for you. But for most general readers, this is not the place to start to learn about the divorce. Ms. Fletcher has clearly researched her subject in great depth, but that research does not, unfortunately, translate into a work that is accessible beyond fellow scholars. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting look at Henry VIII's quest for a divorce. April 1, 2012

By Jill Meyer TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

British scholar Catherine Fletcher has written a fascinating view of both the political and religious machinations behind the divorce of Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, Her book, "The Divorce of Henry VIII: The Untold Story from Inside the Vatican", is just that, and spotlights the work done by "agents" of Henry and their work in Italy. Also interesting are the actions of the pope, Clement VII.

One of the most interesting points that Fletcher makes is that through Henry's "agent", Gregorio Casali, "we see England from the outside, from Rome, from Italy, from Europe. There, Henry VIII was not the caricature fat tyrant, nor yet the virtuous Renaissance prince, BUT A MID-RANKING NORTHERN MONARCH, a player on the European stage, but FAR FROM THE STAR OF THE SHOW." The "stars"? Oh, those would be the Habsburg Charles V, France's Francis I, and to a certain extent, Pope Clement. Lurking in the background of power would be that pesky Augustinian friar, Martin Luther, who was very upset about abuses of power and other corruption of the Catholic Church.

Henry's desire for first an annulment, and then a divorce from wife Catherine, began in the mid-1520's, when he realised that he would never get a son as heir from Catherine. Their marriage had produced only a daughter, the Princess Mary. In love or lust with a fast-rising young woman at court, Anne Boleyn, Henry thought that youth and beauty and political sophistication would be just the thing in a second wife. So he began to work towards that end. An annulment of a royal marriage was not unheard of in 16th century England; Henry's older sister Margaret successfully petitioned for the annulment of her marriage to Scottish noble Archibald Douglas, the Earl of Angus a few years previously.... But Henry's application for annulment was complicated by the fact that he'd had to petition a previous pope for the right to marry Catherine after his brother's death. Complicating things further was Clement's relationship with Charles V, whose forces conquered Rome and proceeded to sack the city. Clement was captured by Charles and was held for six months, but then was "allowed" to escape his captivity. These events on the larger European scene were being played out as Clement debated whether or not to even hear the case - his recent captor, Charles, was nephew of the now-discarded Catherine.

Henry decided to use all means and people to help persuade the Vatican to issue his divorce. Several of those were Italians who knew the ins-and-outs of Vatican and Continental politics and were in the best position to help get divorce done. One of these men was Gregorio Casali, who was of a large, noble family, with influence and fingers in a lot of pies. He served Henry fairly faithfully, without a great deal of financial remuneration, and he and his contacts got things moving. In the end, Henry went ahead and married Anne and the divorce wasn't needed with Catherine's death in 1536.

Fletcher's research and writing on Gregorio Casali and the other non-Englishmen involved in the divorce is well-done and always interesting. She takes an event - Henry's search for a divorce - and "flips" it - showing how it was seen from the Vatican's side. She writes well on the continental politics as they differed from the British. A very good slice of history. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Too academic for me, I just couldn't finish this book July 9, 2012

By Kiki VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I have a fairly avid interest in Henry VIII and especially the history of the Church in England. So I began this book with an open attitude towards this subject matter: Henry's divorce. Unfortunately, this author lost me pretty quickly. So many cronies of both the King and the Pope, the intensive description of their lives and behaviors and how they all interact...it was too much for my tiny mind! This is clearly a book written for someone much smarter than myself. I just couldn't force myself to finish it, sadly. It couldn't hold my interest, I was constantly rereading and trying to comprehend or even remember what I'd just read (again.) Clearly, this book is for the academic set, not for the average reader. And I do consider myself an above average reader!

I would not say this book is poorly written, but I might suggest that for a wider audience, the writing might be a little dry. I give it three stars because it is obviously passionately researched and I'm going to go ahead and split the difference.