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Henry VIII The Mask of Royalty Lacey Baldwin Smith 9780395136942 Books

Download As PDF : Henry VIII The Mask of Royalty Lacey Baldwin Smith 9780395136942 Books

Henry VIII The Mask of Royalty Lacey Baldwin Smith 9780395136942 Books

How we view Henry VIII colors our interpretation of his reign. Some see him as a savage and ruthless tyrant, sadistically toying with a terrified court and leading England into bankrupting wars to further his lust for glory and power. Smith asks us to consider another possibility, something much more human and much less sinister: Henry as a sick, melancholic old man desperately clinging to the only thing he had left--control.

With declining health and advancing age, Henry had to face his mortality, and Smith maintains that he was “incapable of acquiescing.” He deliberately fostered divisiveness in his council, imposed loyalty tests, and kept silent about his plans for Edward’s regency in order to show that he was still in control. The old lion wanted to prove that he could still roar. His suspicious nature only worsened with his fear of losing relevance, and left his court terrified of saying or doing anything that could be construed as treason, whether by the king himself or the opposing faction.

Yet, Smith points out that if Henry feared what people were doing and saying in his last months, then so did Edward Seymour as his power waned. If he wanted to annex Scotland, Francis wanted control of Milan. If Henry drained the treasury to fund his war with France (a war which had its supporters), the whole Hapsburg-Valois rivalry “poisoned” Europe. In other words, Henry’s actions in the 1540s weren’t unique, but mirrored by his contemporaries. Indeed, Smith makes a point of linking the three aging and sickly rulers: gouty Charles V, who faced approaching death by turning to necrophilia; Francis I, “disintegrating” from syphilis and waxing nostalgic; and Henry, bloated, ulcerous, and needing to be in control.

I didn’t get the sense that Smith was trying to excuse Henry’s behavior during the 1540s, rather, that he was trying to understand it and give it a very human basis. The first half of the book explores Henry’s character in the context of his time. Honor and chivalry, which Smith says lay at the root of Henry’s personality, were admirable qualities. Kings answered only to God. Misfortune meant God’s displeasure. Heresy and religious diversity led to sedition and disorder. Harsh punishments displayed the consequences of evil and pain cleansed traitors and heretics of offences. It’s a fascinating look into 16th century mentality and important to keep in mind in any assessment of Henry.

The rest of the book examines the events of the 1540s. For all that Henry saw himself as a wise and prudent king, Smith says that “mistaken or inept are the kindest words to describe [Henry’s] diplomatic and military endeavors.” Any chance for harmony with Scotland was destroyed through Henry’s overreactions, impetuousness, and inability to see the long-term consequences of his actions. His desire for to win renown and boost his honor in France bankrupted England. Catherine Howard broke his spirit, while Katherine Parr proved the perfect companion for his final years.

I found Smith’s book an absorbing and refreshing counterpoint to authors who portray Henry as a volatile and despicable monster. It’s a worthy addition to one’s Tudor reading list.


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Henry VIII The Mask of Royalty Lacey Baldwin Smith 9780395136942 Books Reviews

This was the first book I read of the Tudors and liked it so much that I have not stopped reading about these fascinating people.
Smith has a talent for capturing the reader's attention and holding it in Non Fiction. His work is so engaging that it feels like a novel, like being in a story, while learning the entire time. His work 'breathes' well.

It is rather obvious that he knows his subject matter, and the detail leaves you wondering how he could possibly know all he does, while presenting it in such a lovely and well-synchronized way.

I can't wait to read his other books. Catherine Howard is next on the agenda ...
This has been reviewed as one of the most comprehensive biographies of Henry VIII. We all know pretty much what he did, but this tells why he did it, what his personality was like as seen by the people who knew him. Rome would have given him an annulment - giving kings annulments happened all the time as it turns out. But Rome would not give him a divorce and it was a divorce he wanted and what he turned the nation inside out to get. He saw himself surrounded by traitors - but we must realize that his definition of a traitor was someone who refused to give him what he knew he deserved to have.

All fascinating insights into the man himself. Incredibly, almost childishly emotional. Stubborn. His advisors knew that using his emotions to get something into his head was easy but getting it out again was impossible; a clever tactic could turn on you, a lovely scheme could go horribly wrong as he would run a "plan" into the ground and bury you with it. Talking him into killing Anne Boleyn was a cinch, convincing him that she had bedded her own brother - a piece of cake. He pretty much believed whatever he was told and he never held himself responsible for anything he did. You were always to blame for anything at any time and could die for it, or have your career ruined and be banished to the country if you were lucky. No matter how horrible and frightening he was to others, in his mind, he was always the helpless victim of all the mistakes of his advisors.

A fascinating study for any scholar of Tudor England, a thousand details and revealing insights.
How we view Henry VIII colors our interpretation of his reign. Some see him as a savage and ruthless tyrant, sadistically toying with a terrified court and leading England into bankrupting wars to further his lust for glory and power. Smith asks us to consider another possibility, something much more human and much less sinister Henry as a sick, melancholic old man desperately clinging to the only thing he had left--control.

With declining health and advancing age, Henry had to face his mortality, and Smith maintains that he was “incapable of acquiescing.” He deliberately fostered divisiveness in his council, imposed loyalty tests, and kept silent about his plans for Edward’s regency in order to show that he was still in control. The old lion wanted to prove that he could still roar. His suspicious nature only worsened with his fear of losing relevance, and left his court terrified of saying or doing anything that could be construed as treason, whether by the king himself or the opposing faction.

Yet, Smith points out that if Henry feared what people were doing and saying in his last months, then so did Edward Seymour as his power waned. If he wanted to annex Scotland, Francis wanted control of Milan. If Henry drained the treasury to fund his war with France (a war which had its supporters), the whole Hapsburg-Valois rivalry “poisoned” Europe. In other words, Henry’s actions in the 1540s weren’t unique, but mirrored by his contemporaries. Indeed, Smith makes a point of linking the three aging and sickly rulers gouty Charles V, who faced approaching death by turning to necrophilia; Francis I, “disintegrating” from syphilis and waxing nostalgic; and Henry, bloated, ulcerous, and needing to be in control.

I didn’t get the sense that Smith was trying to excuse Henry’s behavior during the 1540s, rather, that he was trying to understand it and give it a very human basis. The first half of the book explores Henry’s character in the context of his time. Honor and chivalry, which Smith says lay at the root of Henry’s personality, were admirable qualities. Kings answered only to God. Misfortune meant God’s displeasure. Heresy and religious diversity led to sedition and disorder. Harsh punishments displayed the consequences of evil and pain cleansed traitors and heretics of offences. It’s a fascinating look into 16th century mentality and important to keep in mind in any assessment of Henry.

The rest of the book examines the events of the 1540s. For all that Henry saw himself as a wise and prudent king, Smith says that “mistaken or inept are the kindest words to describe [Henry’s] diplomatic and military endeavors.” Any chance for harmony with Scotland was destroyed through Henry’s overreactions, impetuousness, and inability to see the long-term consequences of his actions. His desire for to win renown and boost his honor in France bankrupted England. Catherine Howard broke his spirit, while Katherine Parr proved the perfect companion for his final years.

I found Smith’s book an absorbing and refreshing counterpoint to authors who portray Henry as a volatile and despicable monster. It’s a worthy addition to one’s Tudor reading list.