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The Death of Kings: A Medical History of the Kings and Queens of England Paperback – December 31, 2000

4.5 out of 5 stars 81

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A catalogue of the ailments of Britain's monarchs of from Edward the Confessor to Victoria, written by a surgeon. Using the most up-to-date research, Brewer interprets historic accounts of symptoms, odd behaviour and murder to identify the cause of death for each monarch, including new diagnoses for the conditions of Queen Anne and George III. The book concludes with a location list of royal tombs.

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0902920995
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abson Books; First Edition (December 31, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780902920996
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0902920996
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.75 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 81

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Clifford Brewer
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
81 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2010
Most reviewers here have already written of the many merits of this book. I would just like to add that the author presents each case with a measure of sympathy for the sufferer of ailments which puzzled the best medical minds of their respective time periods.

As an example, the image of Henry VIII conjures up a bully-a domineering and heartless ruler. But considering that Henry was probably dealing with some very serious health issues that affected him not only physically but also psychologically, one begins to understand the relatively swift descent of this monarch from a budding Renaissance prince to a feared sovereign.

The author also presents a more sympathetic view of medical men of ages past, before the benefit of modern scientific discoveries and identification of many illnesses. Though he admits there were many "quacks", Dr. Brewer also educates the reader regarding some astute individuals who were very sincere in their attempts to understand and help their patients. We would not have the medical knowledge of today if it hadn't been for the efforts of these pioneering medical men, who are all too often ridiculed for holding the often very erroneous views of illnesses so prevalent at the time that they lived.

Anyone interested in British history and/or the history of medicine will enjoy this book. The author has reached out across the centuries and provided an honest and interesting look at not only the monarchs and their maladies, but the medical response to their often puzzling and deadly ailments, both physical and mental. Very highly recommended.
18 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2017
I have been looking for book like this for years. It is excellent! Each chronological chapter gives a short history of each English monarch and analyzes what physicians and witnesses recorded about each king's illnesses/ailments prior to death. It sounds ghoulish, but it's very interesting what modern medicine makes of the symptoms. Of course, it would be really helpful if DNA analysis was permitted, but the current monarchy has declined such requests. Therefore, in the absence of irrefutable proof, this book is the next best thing.
The author has an easy writing style which makes the chapters fly by. He is a physician by trade so he draws on the research of modern medicine. I wish he would consider future endeavors on the deaths of other historical figures.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2011
"The Death of Kings" devotes a few succinct pages to every English monarch since Wm. the Conqueror (includes Oliver Cromwell) and offers a modern, scholarly view of the likely causes of death based on what the court physicians of the time reported.
Some diagnoses (such as an arrow in the back) are easy but others, as in the case of Henry VIII, are a combination of maladies and disorders which Dr. Brewer untangles in very readable prose for the layman. There is some speculation - as in the rumors of Elizabeth I actually having a child - but they are afforded only so much as nonprovable supposition deserves. Very interesting book and highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2007
This is a great book to read if you are into history and always wondered about the vague descriptions given in history books as to why people died in olden times. It is pure speculation, taking the symptoms that some historian wrote hundreds of years ago, and trying to figure out what the person really died of. The book will still leave you wanting more information but the only thing to work with is what someone way back when wrote and they hardly had the ability to properly disgnose an illness. This book has many good plausible reasons for their deaths.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2009
The Death of Kings is a 264 page history of the probable causes of death of all the English monarchs from Edward the Confessor (1019 - 1066) to Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901). The author, Clifford Brewer, is a highly experienced, retired surgeon who has done years of research on the topic.

When reading this book, you have to take into consideration:
1. accurate diagnosis of most medical conditions was almost impossible until about 75-100 years ago
2. the precise cause of death may be impossible to obtain without a detailed necropsy, and right now, there's really nothing left of these people to examine

Appendix 1 of the book contains the probable causes of death of England's kings and queens in a very abbreviated fashion. If you're not a doctor or a medical student, chances are that this won't be very informative because it's written in medical terms. Appendix 2 contains descriptions and locations of the royal tombs.

Historically, there are different diseases than we have now - childbirth fever, smallpox, measles, diptheria, tuberculosis, black plague, and typhoid all ran rampant, as did syphilis. This needs to be taken into consideration as well when reading through the book, understanding that back in the day, they didn't have emergency rooms and antibiotics. I also think it's necessary to read this book in small doses. It's more enjoyable and much less intense if you read it that way. Trying to read it in large chunks can be very overwhelming.

Some noted histories:

- William I, who ruptured his bowels or bladder on his saddle horn.
- Henry I, who ate himself to death.
- Edward II was murdered by having a red hot poker shoved in his rectum.
- Henry IV, who died from an overwhelming infection from a severe skin condition.
- Richard III was the only English king to die in battle.
- Henry VIII likely had Cushing's Disease.
- Oliver Cromwell, who died from an infection following a kidney stone.
- James I and II both died from complications of syphilis.
- Anne, one of the few female monarchs, had lupus.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2012
I absolutely LOVED this book. Yes at times it was a little hard to understand the medical terminology but the author did a fair job of explaining it. I wish this author would write another book about European kings and queens. One thing I would have loved is if pictures of death masks and tombs were included. I highly recommend this book!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Dont have a public profile name
5.0 out of 5 stars Such an interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2021
A perfect book to be dipped in and out of - and if you like a bit of gore along with your history you will not be disappointed. Fascinating and a great read.
Amazonaholic
5.0 out of 5 stars The king dies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2020
A niche market however this product is as expected.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting histories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2020
An interesting book telling the story of kings and queens you do not often find out about at school or from other books
One person found this helpful
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G B
5.0 out of 5 stars book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2020
great
Elizabeth Harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars Kings and Queens at their end
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2018
We must have lent our copy, but we still refer to it, so bought this as a replacement.