Product Description

A striking and sympathetic portrait of England's first Queen, Mary I - whose character has been vilified for over 400 years. Instead of the bloodthirsty bigot of Protestant mythology, Mary Tudor emerges from the pages of this deeply-researched biography as a cultured renaissance princess, a courageous survivor of the violent power struggles that characterised the reigns of her father, Henry VIII, and brother Edward VI. The author does not belittle Mary's burning of heretics, which earned her the subriquet 'Bloody Mary', but she also had many endearing personal qualities and talents, not least the courage of leadership she showed in facing down Northumberland's rebellion. A well-balanced and readable biography of Mary I is long overdue.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20215 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Review
'A richly researched, marvellously realised historical biography' --Telegraph

'Mary deserves her proper account and this friendly and appreciative biography gives her the credit she is due' --The Tablet

'This well-researched biography about "Bloody" Mary is fascinating. I loved the way the author shattered the misconceptions we have of her' --Woman's Own

Associated Press, October 27, 2007
Porter brings clarity to complex issues and paints a vivid portrait of Tudor court life

Woman's Own, November 5, 2007
This well-researched biography about 'Bloody' Mary is fascinating. I've completely changed my opinion.

Customer Reviews

A Thrilling Portrait
Dr Linda Porter has brought Mary Tudor's world to the printed page in a thrilling and extremely enjoyable portrait of England's first, and most misunderstood, queen. This biography is a must read and essential for anyone interested in understanding the consequences of Henry VIII's reign. For those interested in Elizabeth's childhood and time before she became queen -- and that includes fans of David Starkey's 'Elizabeth' -- this book provides a new illuminating window into the relationship between the Tudor siblings, as well as the forces that drove Mary into treating Elizabeh as she did once she was queen. Full marks for 'Mary Tudor' and Linda Porter!

A better understanding of England' s first ruling Queen - highly recommended
Mary Tudor seems to be eternally eclipsed by her half-sister Queen Elizabeth and her overpowering father Henry VIII. She seems to be rather her mother's daughter and the King's of Spain wife and above all the religious fanatic who burned Protestants at the stake and went down in history as "Bloody Mary".

Well, of course there is always an element of truth in it. But there is so much more to England's first ruling Queen. Linda Porter wrote indeed an excellent biography as she did not only full fletched picture of the events of her life but describes what these meant and what effect they had on Mary. One does understand so much better how Queen Mary "ticked". Linda Porter gives the reader a deep psychological understanding of this Tudor Princess and Queen. But understanding does not mean approving and Linda Porter is critical and she states her criticism. Mary and Mary's reign is very complex and often difficult to judge properly. I have - not only with her but in general - a horror of religious fanaticism and of course this is a major problem with Mary, whatever the causes for this maybe. On the other hand she did not remove Elizabeth form the succession even though she must have known where her half-sisters real views lay. But this biography helps to understand and to evaluate more subtle way, putting Mary in perspective of her time and the general views held. It is no easy read, but a very rewarding one. This is a biography I very much recommended

Top Tudor Biography
This is one of the best Tudor biographies I have ever bought. Although I had read bits here and there about Henry VIII's eldest daughter, it was always the bad bits that stuck in mind - the protestant burnings, the treatment of Elizabeth, the loss of Calais, the desperation of wanting a child etc etc. The great thing about this book is that the author is not trying to justify these things, but actually give a better understanding of why they happened, while at the same time bringing forward some of Mary's qualities as Queen of England. An enjoyable read which keeps you interested all the way through. Highly recommended to anyone interested in Tudor history.