Dieses Buch widmet sich einer der Frauen, die in der Geschichte - noch immer - viel zu wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommen haben, obwohl sie einen starken Einfluss hatten - subtil aber doch...

A well-written and informative biography of Mary Tudor, who doesn't get as much attention as her brother Henry 8 or father Henry 7.

The author knows their stuff and made it accessible for the audience.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've actually read only one other book focused on Queen Mary, by David Loads years ago. So, I am supremely happy that McElroy has taken it upon herself to highlight this incredibly important Tudor figure. Although she mentions this only briefly at the end of the book, Queen Mary does not get enough attention for the impact that she had on the Tudor Court. She is even reduced to bare her sister's name in the show The Tudors, where the decision to make the sisters, a single character was made.

The shining star of this book is how vividly the personality of Queen Mary comes off the page. I can just imagine that she would be the lovely, introverted friend that everyone takes their problems to because she's the maternal figure of the group. McElroy managed to pain this picture through first hands accounts of those who knew Queen Mary and the letters that she wrote to various people throughout her short life. In fact, McElroy has made me want to move my copy of The French Queen's Letters to the top of my to-be-read pile.

Although, McElroy is attempting to remove Queen Mary from the shadow of her second marriage to Charles Brandon. I did find the information included about their marriage to be fascinating. I realized that I had forgotten or did not know much of the information included about this marriage. McElroy also does an incredibly thorough job of detailing how much debt Henry VIII placed them under as a "punishment" for marrying without his approval. In some ways, this book made me see how vindictive Henry could be in an entirely new light.

The information regarding Queen Mary's relationship with Katherine of Aragon was also fascinating. I knew that they were close and that Queen Mary was not a fan of Anne Boleyn's, but the extent that Katherine influenced Queen Mary's life from such a young age was exciting new information to read.

The complicated dynamics of Queen Mary's relationship with the French court were also detailed in a detailed and easy to understand way. There were so many key players at the French court that Queen Mary interacted with and seeing excerpts of their letters brought to life the colorful interactions of European royalty during this period.

This is a fascinating, well-written, well-researched, book. Every Tudor lover needs to pick up a copy. Mary, Queen of France is not only the grandmother of Queen Jane Grey, but a powerful political player in her own right.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, War

Front and Center: The Mary Tudor

Amy McElroy stood out right off the bat by expressing her gratitude in the Acknowledgments as the first section of the book. It allowed me to appreciate the community of contributors and support it took to collect and assemble the story of Mary Tudor. It was refreshing for Mary Tudor to have the spotlight pointed directly at her.

Amy wrote the book in a very digestible manner that anyone can pick up and process the evolution of Mary Tudor. The tone of the writing was a far cry from the stereotypical stale and stiff historical timelines. There was a vivid picture painted of lineage of Mary’s ancestors and her own life. A friendly read that can intrigue those ranging from history intimidated to buffs.

This book includes a visual of her family tree, portraits and photos of core locations.

I think this book would make a great reference source for university classes, research papers and history minors or majors to have on deck.

I received a copy of this book from Amy McElroy and Pen & Sword History. I am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.

1/16/2025

This biography explores the extraordinary life of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister—from princess to queen to duchess. The book is enjoyable and easy to read, though it doesn’t seem to break any new ground. I suspect there just isn’t any more source material to draw on about Mary’s life. Still, it was nice to read about her as the heroine in her own story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

In this brilliant new biography of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and sister to the infamous Henry VIII, Amy McElroy draws on some brilliant primary documents to bring her remarkable life to the page. Full of fascinating details and insightful primary sources, this book really brings her fascinating life as an English princess and French queen to readers’ attention. By exploring her royal role as a political player and the grandmother of Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen, McElroy does a fantastic job highlighting Mary Tudor’s multiple positions of influence and power during her life at her brother’s court. Excellently written, readable, and easy to understand, this is a great new release that Tudor lovers will definitely want to pick up for the depth of historical information present in the book. McElroy is a great writer who really humanizes her subjects and brings well-needed context into her discussion of her subjects’ lives, which allows readers to try to understand the decisions made during their lifetimes and connect with the historical figures. With her approachable prose and absolutely immersive biography of Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, history readers of all kinds and especially Tudorphiles will love this new biography.

Amy McElroy's Mary Tudor covers the life of Mary Tudor, the youngest sister of King Henry VIII who went on to become Queen of France for a very brief time and famously defied her brother to marry the love of her life.

This is my second book by McElroy on Tudor history, and I enjoy her style of writing very much. She does justice to her subjects in a way that a lot of authors would just brush over. Her work is very informative on the life of the young queen, even considering the lack of a lot of physical evidence after she marries Charles Brandon and lives a more private life. Often consider the favorite sister of the infamous Tudor King, Mary lived a life full of pleasure and riches, often getting her own way in matters. Her marriage to Louis of France for political reasons caused her to make the often-repeated bargain with her brother; when the aging King died, she would marry a man of her choice. So, she did, marrying her brother's best friend Charles Brandon. And when many were shunned for speaking against Anne Boleyn, Mary was one of the few that could voice her opinion though little good it did her or Katherine of Aragon.

Sadly Mary died young. Had she lived, how could she have changed the history her brother made?

I would like to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This is a well-research and comprehensive biography of Mary Tudor (not Bloody Mary but the sister of Henry the 8th and the Queen of France). Amy McElroy brings so much depth to the life of Mary. I learn so much about this complicated and fascinating figure in Tudor history.

I definitely recommend this novel for any Tudor fans.

Mary Tudor (14 March 1496–26 June 1533), was the daughter of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.Her Governess was Joan Vaux, who she called Mother Guildford.As children, Mary and her brother, the future King Henry VIII, shared a close friendship.He named his first surviving child, the future Queen Mary I, in her honour.She was known in her youth as one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe.On 21 December 1507, Mary was engaged to Charles,later Holy Roman Emperor.The betrothal was called off in 1514.

Cardinal Wolsey negotiated a peace treaty with France, and on 9 October 1514, Mary married the elderly King Louis XII of France at Abbeville.She was accompanied to France by several English maids of honour (one of whom was Anne Boleyn) under the supervision of her governess.Despite two previous marriages, Louis had no living sons.However, their marriage was short-lived and childless as he died on 1 January 1515.

Mary was in love with Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, wanted to marry him. However, Henry VIII and his council wanted any future marriage to be to their advantage.
However, the couple wed in secret at the Hotel de Cluny in Paris on 3 March 1515.Henry and the privy council were outraged.Due to the intervention of Thomas Wolsey and Henry's affection for both his sister and Charles, the couple was given only a fine. They officially wed on 13 May 1515 in the presence of King Henry VIII and his courtiers.In 1528, the marriage was legitimised. Mary was Charles Brandon's third wife and was stepmother to his children. Mary and Charles had 4 children.Through her older daughter, Frances, she was the maternal grandmother of Lady Jane Grey,the 9-day queen.
Even after her second marriage, Mary was referred to the English court as the Queen of France and was not called the Duchess of Suffolk in her lifetime.

In the late 1520s, relations between King Henry VIII and Mary were strained when she opposed the King's attempt to obtain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon,whom Mary had known and liked.Mary strongly disliked Anne Boleyn, whom she had first met in France.

Beauty aside, Mary was diplomatic, intelligent, and charismatic.

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy gives us an interesting look into the life of one of England’s most misunderstood queens. McElroy does a great job of bringing Mary’s emotional journey to life, showing her struggles with power, love, and betrayal. The writing is easy to get into and really pulls you into the drama of the Tudor court. That said, the pacing can feel a little off at times, and I think some of the historical details could’ve been expanded. But overall, it’s an enjoyable read for anyone who loves historical fiction. 4 stars.

Mary Tudor, Queen of France was a very informative read; similarly to how I proceeded last time with Catherine Howard, I came to this book after having read a fictionalization of Mary Tudor’s life, and it was so interesting to compare the two.
Here, there’s a real wealth of information about Henry VIII’s younger and favorite sister; I especially found her marriage negotiations insightful - they make it so painfully clear that women (of the royal household) were nothing more but pawns and used to strengthen political alliances. So it’s even more courageous of Mary to marry for love (after having done her duty and her first husband, the French king, died because of old age) - also because Henry VIII isn’t exactly known to be forgiving when you cross him.
All in all, a great book about Mary Tudor who appears in so many other books about that particular period in history but mostly remains on the fringes.

When one thinks of Tudor history, the towering figures of Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I usually come to mind. But what of the minor Tudors, such as Henry's siblings Arthur, Margaret, and Mary? In her latest book Mary Tudor: Queen of France, author Amy McElroy pens a meticulous and vibrant history of the youngest Tudor sibling, the lively and lovely Mary, Queen of France and later Duchess of Suffolk.

The Tudor dynasty seemingly attracts those drawn to its romance: the relationship between Anne Boleyn and Henry, the love between Mary and Charles Brandon, the did-they-didn’t-they dynamic of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. Although important, of course, other facets of those lives enhance each of these stories, and it's this focus on Mary's beauty and relationship with Charles Brandon that Amy explains but also expands upon in her illuminative work.

There's more to Mary than simply her second marriage: her familial dynamic, her first serious betrothal, her life in France, her struggles to find happiness and prosperity amidst uncertain economic circumstances, her passion for clothing, dancing, and pageantry, her proficiency in wordsmithing, and so much more. Amy broadens our understanding of Mary's life from her youth to her passing in 1536.

On March 18, 1496, Mary Tudor was born at Sheen Palace to Henry VIII and his wife Queen Elizabeth of York. Her parents had married in the aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth, uniting the divergent York and Lancastrians lines of descent from King Edward III. Mary was the youngest of their surviving children. Sadly, Elizabeth of York succumbed to complications from the birth of her last daughter, Katherine, passing away on February 11, 1503.

Amy details Mary's life from official records, inventories, letters, and more, painting a compelling portrait of this astonishing woman. At the book's beginning, she devotes significant time to Mary's childhood, paying particularly close attention to the princess’s education and her first betrothal to Charles, Prince of Castile, the son of Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile. After this fell apart, especially after Henry VII’s death in 1509, Mary married the French king Louis XII. She ruled as Queen of France for a few months before Louis died on January 1, 1515. It's after this point where many recognize Mary's story as the wife of Charles Brandon.

Before Mary left for France to marry Louis, she extracted a promise from her brother Henry that she could marry for love should Louis predecease her. As a result, she married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and Henry's best friend, shortly before her return to England. Evidence supports this marriage as a love match, and signs indicate that Henry was aware of their mutual attraction. The couple roused the king's ire, however, when they married sooner than expected, in March 1515, and without his firm approval. He fined them, but eventually allowed them to return to England. Mary and Charles lived happily together until Mary's death on June 25, 1533.

Mary Tudor: Queen of France is that rare non-fiction piece that combines deep research and engaging narrative to create a highly absorbing and informationally-rich book. Amy encourages readers to examine Mary's life more thoroughly, that she deserves to be remembered for more than just her appearance and her family. “Mary's beauty and ancestry should not be her only legacy; she was clearly a highly competent letter writer, using her skill to get her way and protect herself and those she cared about.”

I appreciated Amy’s focus on three particular aspects of Mary's life that often receive little attention: her first betrothal, her writing ability, and her care and support for those who served her.

Mary's betrothal to Prince Charles - who would go on to become Charles V - reflected her father's affection for her (in addition to her value in a marriage alliance) and her chance for a respectable and perhaps content marriage. The negotiations between Henry and Charles’s protectors - Maximilian, the Holy Roman Emperor; Margaret of Austria; and King Ferdinand of Castile - proved long and complex and ultimately fell through. However, in behavior which counteracts his normal frugal reputation, ensured a bountiful dowry for his daughter so that she would be provided for and have a comfortable life.

Mary's ability to influence by her adept writing and her support for those in her employ often go hand-in-hand. Amy recounts several instances in which Mary wrote to influential characters such as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in an effort to find them gainful employment, reward them, or attempt to return them to her service. This paints the Queen as a generous, intelligent, and politically astute woman with a keen mind and kind heart.

Amy’s biography of Mary Tudor offers readers a refreshing, balanced, and nuanced look into her life. Mary was a multifaceted and complex woman who deserves the telling of her story in a compassionate and authentic manner, and Amy McElroy has done just that. This book was a joy to read, and those interested in Tudor history, women's history, or English history will find much to engage with in Mary Tudor, Queen of France.

Thank you to Amy, Pen & Sword Books, and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy is a concise yet engaging historical exploration of the life of Mary. McElroy brings Mary’s complexity to life. While the narrative is informative, it could be found boring by some who don't often read history.

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy is a fascinating biographical account of the life of Mary, Henry VIII's sister, and not to be confused with his daughter.

The story is quite remarkable, and while I knew something about her, I didn't know everything. The chapters, which follow her through the 3 marriage proposals she receives, which result in 2 marriages, are quite astounding. So much time and effort went into trying to wed her to Prince Charles (later Emperor Charles), and then all of a sudden, she married Louis XII of France. I found it most fascinating. If anything, her 2nd marriage seems almost anticlimatic, even though it evidently wasn't at the time. And, with all we know about Henry and his marital difficulties, Mary appears to have been somewhat serene about everything. I imagine she perhaps had a happier life, if one often troubled by the terrible debt her brother placed upon her (families!).

I really appreciated the author's desire to keep this narrative to Mary and not to her children and grandchildren. It seems fitting to have a title devoted exclusively to her.

A fine portrayal of Mary's eventful, if short life, with a lovely writing style.



My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

A very complete and thorough look into a lesser written about Tudor. The author does a great job of outlining Mary's life with so much fascinating detail. Some rare photos too at the end of the book. A must read for any Tudor fan! Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’ve always been obsessed with the Tudor era, particularly King Henry VIII and his six wives. This was a nice change to read about someone connected but not the usual, such as Anne Boleyn (my favourite person to learn about). This was well written and I’m so thankful to have been gifted this book from the publisher (it was a wish item and it was granted). I enjoyed this very much.

This is an interesting and informative book about Henry VIII’s favourite sister Mary. Although not that much is known about her character, the beautiful Queen was apparently quite kind to her ageing French husband, the King, and she was also kind to her servants and helpful to courtiers and officials. She seems to have been a rather sweet person.

She was also highly intelligent with a gift for writing letters, which can came in useful! She was able to wrap Henry around her little finger, ensuring that he was not too angry with her when she married Charles Brandon.

I could never read enough about Mary! I enjoyed this book very much.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Mary Tudor is one of my favorite people from the Tudor Era. She is not talked about as much as her brother and all his wives. I enjoyed Mary Tudor: Queen of France by Amy McElroy. The book was well written and very informative.

I really didn't know anything about Mary Tudor, Henry's sister so this was a great read for more. It had that element that I was looking for and thought everything worked as a nonfiction book. Amy McElroy has a strong writing style and had that historical element that I was looking for.

Mary Tudor, younger sister to henry VIII, either gets skipped over or hardly mentioned in both fact and fiction retellings of the Tudor era, which is a shame, because she had a fascinating life with a romance that ended much, much better than almost any other love story in the Tudor era.

McElory follows Mary's life, mostly through invoices and other housekeeping accounts, but also through high stakes international treaties, letters between kings, and popular ballads. We rarely get Mar's voice, but on the few occasions we do, her voice rings out clear, educated, and determined - this is a woman who knows what she is worth, what she wants, and she is going to get both what she is entitled to and what she wants.

So its no accident that she ends up with the man she wants AND with titles, properties, and jewels worth a king's ransom - even if quite a lot of those jewels are wisely given over to her brother to get his stamp of approval on her second marriage.

Mary might have played the damsel in distress when advantageous, but she was just as determined as any Tudor to get what she wanted, no matter hat the consequences.

McElory points out that, sadly, Mary doesn't live long enough to meet her granddaughter Jane Grey, but that Jane definite inherited a lot of her brains from her grandmother, a woman who understood the power of words and how to use them.