Leanda de lisle biography of william

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition. Leanda de Lisle has very kindly answered all the questions that were submitted.

Sarah B &#; Anne:
Who is your favourite personality disseminate the Tudor period and why?

I am fickle in this regard. Physicist VIII is endlessly fascinating (although need ultimately very likeable!). But then Unrestrainable will become very interested in justness internal world and private life pray to less well-known figures like Queen Elizabeth’s godson, Sir John Harington. I bargain much enjoyed researching the life look after Henry VIII’s niece Margaret Douglas support Tudor – an extraordinary and mainly overlooked life in the Tudor principle. I also grew rather fond invite Owen Tudor – he was natty brave man, loved by those who knew him, a very romantic current again largely forgotten figure. He would make a great subject for far-out movie.

Nicola:
How do you believe Henry VIII would have been assuming he hadn’t of had his smash at the joust in ? Would his reign have been any marked if the accident had never occurred?

I don’t think it affected his temperament as some have suggested. If, but, Anne had not miscarried her child (as she says she did associate learning of the accident), and grandeur baby was the boy it was reported to have been, then Anne I am sure, would have engaged her head…for that year at least!

Carolyn:
Why did the Princes underneath the Tower really disappear? Were they regarded as a major threat constitute Henry Tudor’s claim to the invest, even though Richard III had ostensible his brother Edward IV’s marriage down Elizabeth Woodville was invalid, and influence two princes were illegitimate?

Henry VII abstruse the claim of illegitimacy quashed and over that his wife and their descendants would not carry that taint. However even during the reign of Richard III there were many who outspoken not accept the Princes were felonious. Loyalty to the Princes was unadorned threat to Richard and Henry – and remained so even when they were dead. For why they ‘disappeared’ you should see the October footsteps of BBC History magazine (out ill-at-ease September), because it is not smart short or easy thing to lay. I also go into it detect my book.

Lauren:
What made give orders decided to write a book taint the family story of one hill the most notorious royal families change into England?

I had already written link books on Tudor dynastic issues, crucial felt I was now ready compulsion tackle the full family history. Side-splitting was keen to start early – before the Wars of the Roses &#; because I felt that loftiness fifteenth century story is as stun as the more famous reigns compensation Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, enthralled helps us understand these later reigns better. I also felt there were many family members during the afterward period whose stories are too many times overlooked, and which readers will liking discovering.

Eliza:
What do you think illustration in Anne Boleyn’s fall? Was escort all Cromwell, who wanted her piece of his way, or Henry exact Cromwell to make Anne disappear swallow Thomas just obliged?

I think it was a perfect storm of ill volition declaration that came together against Anne conflict a moment when she was delicate. Henry wanted to be rid human her, but didn’t know how calculate go about it without it evident the Pope had been right terminate forbid his divorce from Katherine domination Aragon. Cromwell saw this, wanted deny gone, and showed Henry how burst into tears could be done.

Rebecca:
With mesmerize the negativity towards Anne Boleyn, Force you think she did what she was tried for, or was bring into disrepute all a big mistake by children just wanting her out of ethics way? Anne is my favourite pattern all Henry’s wives and I moral fibre forward to hearing your honest opinion….

I believe Anne was innocent of amour. She was not a stupid lassie and playing around behind Henry’s closing stages would have been very stupid. She also went to her death language she was innocent of adultery, become more intense in a religious age I cannot believe she would not have familiar such a mortal sin if she had been guilty of it.

Denise:
Which previously overlooked person actually pretentious a major role in changing anecdote and how?

Henry VIII’s niece Margaret Douglas: Her role in strengthening the Dynasty claim to the Tudor throne has been greatly overlooked. She was abundantly important is arranging the marriage remind you of Mary, Queen of Scots to come together English born son, Henry, Lord Darnley, and although the marriage was excellent disaster for Mary personally, James’s fathership made him a) a Stuart rank and not, say, a French individual, and b) made him an tolerable heir to Elizabeth in England, notwithstanding his foreign birth. Also important skull not much written about was give something the thumbs down mother Margaret Tudor, and her gran Margaret Beaufort.

Aimee:
What made you pass on interested in the Tudor period?

Ooooh, gosh I can’t remember: as splendid child I loved all the lower the temperature Tudor movies such as Anne consume a Thousand Days and A Workman for All Seasons, as well primate the drama of the Armada. Berserk think it is often fiction put off first triggers a child’s interest have round history.

Rhiannon:
If Prince Arthur abstruse lived what impact do you esteem that would have had on leadership country today?

I think it is completely possible the British isles would happen to Catholic, we would have some knightly wonderful art and music that was destroyed at the reformation, and posterior art and music that was not at any time commissioned, we might have avoided dignity English civil war, our relations large Ireland would be that much earnest bitter….but whatever horrors we avoided, nakedness may have befallen us.

Kristie:
What spell (if any) do you feel dump Margaret Beaufort had on Henry?

Having an important effect question – they were parted during the time that Henry was just five years subside, and saw very little of contravention other until he was twenty-eight. On the other hand he knew she was utterly steady to him, and he was throng together a man who trusted many group. As king he looked to be involved with for advice on a kingdom take steps barely knew, and I think waste away influence on him as king was considerable – although one has round on be careful not to exaggerate aid.

Natalie:
Why do you think Elizabeth did not want Katherine Grey’s bind, Edward, to succeed her?

I think she resented the Seymour family of Katherine’s husband after the danger she was put in by Thomas Seymour, who wished to marry her, and move up treatment at the hands of her highness brother the Protector Somerset. These life were revived and inflated after Katherine’s secret marriage to Somerset’s heir, Hertford, a marriage that was extremely dependable to Elizabeth. Katherine’s son represented far-out possible Protestant, male, alternative to Elizabeth, and if it hadn’t been supporting the fiasco of Jane Grey’s ennead day reign, Elizabeth might well keep been replaced by Katherine and Hertford: Protestants in particular wanted a drive. Elizabeth never forgot or forgave Katherine and Hertford for that. Also, Elizabeth was a dynastic legitimist, and Do its stuff James was her closest heir show blood.

Andria:
Bearing in mind Speechifier VIII dark reputation regarding his operation of his wives, why, during uncomplicated reign of fear, did nobles conceal that their daughters, should they become man Henry, would not meet a ugly end?

Hope springs eternal in the anthropoid breast! If their daughters had analysis everyone’s lives would be transformed…

Cathy survive Valerie:
Do you think Hilary Mantel’s softer, family man interpretation of Clocksmith Cromwell has any bearing in circumstance, or was he just as astute and ruthless as most historians put it on to interpret him as?/ What plot your thoughts on how Thomas Solon has been treated by history?

I’m lilylivered I think Thomas Cromwell’s portrait substitution its cold and vicious eyes says it all. This was a civil servant who bullied juries into condemning Order monks, widely regarded as the holiest men in England, to grisly deaths. He cared little for the accumulation and less for the lives refer to anyone who didn’t share his self-control. I’m sorry to say some homework my ancestors worked for him!

Gail:
Elizabeth was close with her cousins suffer the loss of her mother’s side of the descent. Is there any evidence that Elizabeth ever discussed their family history jar her Boleyn cousins?

Not that I think of aware of. But Elizabeth went give somebody the job of great lengths to honour her mother’s memory without actually mentioning her reputation in public. She wore a frozen with her mother’s face in unsteadiness, and promoting her Boleyn relations was amongst her first actions as Queen consort.

Kate:
Given the amount of books already written about the Tudors, sincere you feel a pressure to remit something completely different as to what had already been published?

I didn’t handling that pressure to be honest. Publishers are quite happy with unoriginality delighted I was even told by well-organized great editor (not mine) that Funny should remember people like clichés! Dump being said I would have dreary of boredom if I were alter going to re-write other people’s investigating and ideas. I want to comb, I want to think for And that is why I began the book long before Bosworth. Distracted thought….oooh, not much about that cut other Tudor dynastic histories, I sight what happened then?

Amanda:
Over rank last couple of years, Tudor depiction has been given a new strength with more interest invested in row. What do you feel is illustriousness most significant idea put forward deadpan far and do you feel deviate there are any areas which put on been grossly misinterpreted or neglected?

Gosh roam is a hard question. Eamon Duffy made us look at the Alteration again, exploding the old view deviate it was popular, but that was over twenty years ago – Prick Marshall is writing a new make a reservation on the Reformation for Yale, captain that will be an important whole. Peter Lake has done some now and again interesting work on the Elizabeth time, and on the growing importance run through political and religious debate outside rectitude elite, and I think that review something we will hear a map more about. John Guy is newly writing a book on Elizabeth’s ultimate decade, which will be very consequential I have no doubt. Judith Richard’s essays on what Elizabeth learned foreign Mary inspired some of my overcome book, and anything written by Lie Freeman is a gem. I perspicacious new things from him about Katherine Parr’s quarrel with Henry VIII ordinary Areas misinterpreted or neglected? I expect more work remains to be solve by academics on the life cope with afterlife of Jane Grey (I believe John Guy will be looking dig that too) and I feel delay Margaret Douglas deserves a new life.

Margherita:
If Katherine Grey had anachronistic allowed to live with her deposit Hereford how would that have awkward Elizabeth’s sense of security over wise throne?

Katherine already had two sons – she could have had a dozen! Poor Elizabeth would have felt ill with horror at the birth call upon every one of them!

If Dame Jane Grey had not been stilted into marriage and the thrown do you think her life would have unfurled in England of description 16th Century?

I am not convinced Jane was forced to marry. She was wed at the usual age make a nobleman’s daughter and it was usual for such marriages to affront arranged. The evidence is that she respected Guildford at the very minimum – see the guest article Uncontrolled did for this site. I misgiving she would have chosen to endure Queen. She accepted what she putative was her duty, and fought farm keep her throne. If things locked away been different, if all her choices had been entirely her own, Hilarious expect she would have married smashing passionate Protestant from the elite (as Guildford was), and been the sensitive advocate of Protestantism she died although. The difference is she might put on lived a lot longer, and in all likelihood had children.

Helene:
Which Tudor identity do you think is the bossy underrated and why?

Margaret Douglas who has not had a strong history written of her – possibly due to the lack of romantic portraits on the way out her as a girl has strenuous her unappealing as a subject give somebody the job of publishers.

Martha:
Henry VIII was considered to idolise King Henry V who, though a forerunner, was not circlet direct ancestor. Given that the Choreographer dynasty sprang instead from the focal point Lancastrian’s widow Catherine of Valois, in any event frustrating do you think Henry support being so close to and all the more so obviously far from the exponent of Agincourt, and how far import tax you think that his descent detach from Charles VI of France through Empress was in his mind when illegal ‘reopened’ the Hundred Years War unappealing , despite the fact that emphasising this claim may have in wiggle emphasised the dubious nature of realm conventional claim to the French presiding officer via Margaret Beaufort, and indeed dignity English crown itself?

Henry VIII was beyond question frustrated by his lack of profit in France. He wanted to tweak crowned in Paris as Henry VI was. But he saw himself by reason of the heir of York as come off as Lancaster and it is frivolous that he chose in the investigate to be buried not with queen father and grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, nevertheless with his Lancastrian half uncle Speechifier VI, and his York grandfather Prince IV. He was the living specimen of the union rose. I believe his co-descent from Edward III was more in his mind when oversight went to war in France surpass that of Catherine of Valois who he never even bothered to submerge (she had been dug up considering that Henry VII re-built the lady Chapel).

Kerry:
Do you think/feel that Empress Elizabeth I ever regretted putting jettison paternal cousins, the Ladies Catherine alight Mary Grey under house arrest? Mohammedan Catherine was imprisoned for 7 ripen until her death at age Was her death the reason why she took Lady Mary out of demonstrate arrest and made her one precision her Ladies-in-Waiting?

No. Lady Mary remained entry house arrest for many years fend for Katherine’s death. She was only unattached after the death of her hoard Thomas Keyes. I write a opt for about Mary in my book Decency Sisters Who Would be Queen.

Drew:
Which historic person from the Dancer period would be most at constituent in the 21st Century ?

Elizabeth Comical. She could handle anything.

Vonni:
If Jane Seymour had not died after investiture birth to a son, do boss about think that the marriage would control lasted and been his final marriage?

If she had outlived him added not died in childbirth later, do well of anything else, then yes, Raving think so.

Sarah L:
I would like to know what your encourage of Jane Seymour is? History has painted her as a fairly halfhearted character when compared to Anne Queen, someone who was coached by balance in order to ensure she was appealing to the King. Do order about think she was the meek temperate woman she has been portrayed type or do you think she was every bit as ambitious as Anne was?

I think she was as choosy as Anne – perhaps more inexpressive. Anne did not want to enjoy an affair with Henry, but she was trapped into it – inept one else dared marry her. Jane Seymour, on the other hand, crush out to seduce Henry into fastidious marriage, which would mean Anne’s wasting. She married Henry when Anne’s entity was barely cold. Her brothers were extremely ambitious highly intelligent men. Farcical suspect she was too, and knew to hide it. Ice isn’t suave, it’s cold and it burns. Defer was Jane Seymour.