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Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII (2017)

de Mr. Gareth Russell

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1786151,965 (4.08)12
"Written with narrative flair and historical authority, this biography of the tragic life of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, breaks new ground in our understanding of the young, doomed woman who became queen at a time of unprecedented social and political tension. On the morning of July 28, 1540, as King Henry VIII's former confidant Thomas Cromwell was being led to his execution, a teenager named Catherine Howard began her reign as queen of a country simmering with rebellion and terrifying uncertainty. Nineteen months later, she was on the scaffold, accused of adultery and high treason. Until now, Catherine 's story has been incomplete. Unlike previous accounts of her life, which portray her as a naive victim of an ambitious family, this compelling and authoritative biography reexamines her motives and social milieu, including both fellow aristocrats and the servants who eventually conspired against her. By illuminating Catherine's entwined upstairs/downstairs worlds and societal tensions beyond the palace walls, Gareth Russell offers a fascinating portrait of court life and the forces that led to Catherine 's execution--from diplomatic pressure and international politics to the long-festering resentments against the queen's household at court. Including a forgotten text of Catherine 's confession, Young and Damned and Fair changes our understanding of one of history's most famous women while telling the compelling and very human story of complex individuals attempting to survive in a dangerous age."--Jacket.… (mais)
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Mostrando 1-5 de 6 (seguinte | mostrar todas)
What a truly fantastic book! Gareth Russell not only delves into the short life of this unfortunate young woman, he also describes aspects of Tudor life that are merely presented as the foundation in other books. As an example, the fosterage of young men and women. Yes, we know it happened; here, Russell explains not just the household in which Catherine [sic] was fostered, but how it led to her early death. It was scattered, minimally supervised, and Catherine was roomed with 4 or 5 other upper class women who were also enjoying amorous liaisons with young men surrounding the Duchess of Norfolk. Also, the petitioning of a Queen for a position in her household. How exactly did that happen? Russell provides a letter from Joan Bulmer, nee Acworth, a former "ally in mischief" in their youth, and explains the particulars of what was involved in contemplating royal service.

Also important were the physical placements of the women in Queen Catherine's household: those who allowed in guests and visitors to the main apartments, which rooms were locked from the inside or not, and which pages and women had access to the hallway to the actual private quarters. All very detailed and providing an explanation that is central to the Queen's flirtations.

These were difficult times in which to live and the end of the book describes not just Queen Catherine's beheading and the mutilations and deaths of her paramours, but also the casualness with which Henry VIII condemned to death anyone who displeased him. A well-written and sympathetic biography of a tragic figure in Tudor history. ( )
  threadnsong | Dec 11, 2021 |
As a retired English professor specializing in the Tudor and Stuart periods, and a long-time Tudor junkie, I've read many books about Henry VIII, his six wives, and his court (including a few truly dreadful novels--avoid Suzannah Dunn at all costs!). Aside from Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, the king's fifth wife, may be the one about whom least is known. A teen-aged lady-in-waiting to the soon discarded Anne of Cleves, Catherine's vivacity and beauty captured the stout, ailing, middle-aged king's heart--and then broke it. Gareth Russell's biography, while an enjoyable read, doesn't offer much that is new. We know that Catherine had a bit too much freedom in her step-grandmother's house, leading to several flirtations that may have been full-blown sexual affairs. We know that she and Francis Dereham may have thought themselves betrothed, a question of importance during her trial. And we know that she engaged in a flirtation with Thomas Culpepper that included exchanges of letters and gifts and nighttime visits to her chamber that may or may not have been sexual. And we know that, to some extent, she was a pawn in the political games being played by her family members and a group of courtiers who opposed them. Catherine's naiveté, set against this background of vipers, is at the heart of Russell's biography. An enjoyable read, but perhaps more so for readers who know little about this ill-fated queen. ( )
1 vote Cariola | Oct 15, 2018 |
I found this a very readable and captivating history. Katherine Howard is a bit of an enigma - so little is actually known about her. It is possible to tell her story in many ways and present her in different lights. The portrait presented here is quite believable based on the evidence - a young woman without the guile needed for her role, who was unfortunate to first attract the attention of a king and then hurt his pride. I particularly felt, in reading this, the tensions that must have been present at all times among the members of the court, knowing that their lives could be ended by shifting faction loyalties or the whims of a single man. ( )
  duchessjlh | Sep 8, 2018 |
Catherine Howard was the fifth wife of Henry VIII, she was a teenager whereas Henry was middle-aged, corpulent and tyrannical. After the death of Jane Seymour, Henry needed to make a political marriage and his advisor Cromwell settled on Anne of Clever. However Henry did not find her attractive and divorce was quickly sorted. Henry looked for an attractive bride next and the flirtatious young Catherine fitted the bill. Although naive, Catherine had a history, she had been involved in a relationship with Francis Dereham which may or may not have involved sex. All the pieces were in place for a tragedy when Catherine's head was turned by the younger, attractive men at court. Before she was twenty-one Catherine became the second of Henry's wives to lose their head accused of treason.

That is the simple story of Catherine Howard, she is either a silly naive girl or a girl who was abused at an early age and know no better. In this biography Russell tries to learn more about her background and deliver some evidence about what really went wrong for Catherine. Her family life was difficult, related to Anne Boleyn and with a father who seemed to go from disaster to disaster, she was brought up in the household of her grandmother. However the 'Maiden's Chamber' was a place where girls flirted with the young men of the household and sometimes went further and Russell explains how this 'education' created a women aware of her charms but also demanding of attention. In terms of marrying Henry, Catherine didn't really have a choice but Russell places her position into context. I felt that the research here cast a lot more light on Catherine's actions by placing them in the context of the court and he offers a balanced picture of Catherine as Queen - her relationships with Henry's children are particularly telling. ( )
1 vote pluckedhighbrow | Jun 26, 2017 |
3.5 An ominous beginning. A very young Catherine Howard, marries Haney VIII, on the same day his former favorite Cromwell is beheaded. This man child of a king has discarded precious wives like used candy wrappers, and keeps his court in a state of fear. He rewards greatly but punishes in horrific ways.

One probably would not be reading this unless they were a Tudor fan or have a interest in this much married King and his unfortunate wives. Catherine Howard was the last to lose her head, but why she did, when the King was so obviously besotted, the things she did wrong and if in anyway her fate could have had a different ending is the subject of this book. It is well done, almost exhaustively so, many details, at times I thought too many as the author takes many side roads, exhaling the background of anyone important that came in contact with her whether they led to her downfall or not. There were some new details, things I hadn't read previously, some new ways of looking at things, so this was well worth the read. Liked how the author explained the political intrigues at the time, Catherine's daily life, and her childhood. A childhood, which in the end, her poor decisions or youthful mistakes, would prove to be impossible to overcome. A good, solid addition to the Tudor lexicon.

ARC from Simon and Schuster. ( )
  Beamis12 | Apr 23, 2017 |
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"Written with narrative flair and historical authority, this biography of the tragic life of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, breaks new ground in our understanding of the young, doomed woman who became queen at a time of unprecedented social and political tension. On the morning of July 28, 1540, as King Henry VIII's former confidant Thomas Cromwell was being led to his execution, a teenager named Catherine Howard began her reign as queen of a country simmering with rebellion and terrifying uncertainty. Nineteen months later, she was on the scaffold, accused of adultery and high treason. Until now, Catherine 's story has been incomplete. Unlike previous accounts of her life, which portray her as a naive victim of an ambitious family, this compelling and authoritative biography reexamines her motives and social milieu, including both fellow aristocrats and the servants who eventually conspired against her. By illuminating Catherine's entwined upstairs/downstairs worlds and societal tensions beyond the palace walls, Gareth Russell offers a fascinating portrait of court life and the forces that led to Catherine 's execution--from diplomatic pressure and international politics to the long-festering resentments against the queen's household at court. Including a forgotten text of Catherine 's confession, Young and Damned and Fair changes our understanding of one of history's most famous women while telling the compelling and very human story of complex individuals attempting to survive in a dangerous age."--Jacket.

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