“Throughout the centuries, Henry has been praised and reviled, but he has never been ignored.”
King Henry VIII was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Succeeding his father King Henry VII as the second monarch in the House of Tudor, he took the throne as a handsome and athletic young man with a keen passion for music, hunting and religion.
However, his obsession with leaving behind a male heir led to England’s split from the Catholic Church as he struggled to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Following his divorce from Catherine, Henry VIII went on to marry five more wives, two of whom were ultimately beheaded. In addition to these infamous marital incidents, Henry was also known for his gluttonous diet, which further solidified his reputation as one of England’s most notorious rulers. Join us here at What We Reading as we run you through the best Henry VIII books!
The Autobiography Of Henry VIII – Margaret George
King Henry VIII is the most notorious monarch in British history. The Autobiography of Henry VIII is the timeless run through how England’s most beloved prince became one of Europe’s most tyrannical rulers from Margaret George.
Told from the perspective of Henry, with the occasional interjection from his court fool, Will Somers, George paints a vivid picture of Tudor England and its reigning monarch. She explores how Henry grew from a brash and handsome young man with a love for the arts into a paranoid glutton whose desire for a male heir would completely sever the country’s ties to the Catholic Church.
The Six Wives Of Henry VIII – Alison Weir
Henry VIII’s love affairs changed the entire landscape of religion in the British Isles and helped shape European politics. In The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Alison Weir utilises biographies, reports, memoirs and personal letters to bring these different women to life. From the ambitions of Anne Boleyn to the astute Catherine Parr, few books match the level of detail and storytelling inside the Tudor courtroom quite like Weir’s work.
All The King’s Cooks – Peter Brears
Henry VIII’s eating and diet habits have become infamous in his image. In All The King’s Cooks, Peter Brears takes readers below the Tudor courtroom to explore how the country’s best cooks were able to feed such a gluttonous monarch, as well as one thousand other people every single day.
The book comes with handy pictures of the sorts of instruments used by the cooks working under King Henry VIII, and ends with a number of recipes designed with the modern kitchen in mind for those who want to eat like a Tudor monarch did!
The English People At War In The Age Of Henry VIII – Steven Gunn
Throughout Henry VIII’s reign, there were numerous wars both at home and abroad, spanning from Scotland to France and the Low Countries. Steven Gunn runs readers through these conflicts and their impact on the population in his book, The English People at War in the Age of Henry VIII.
Steven Gunn’s work is invaluable in understanding the influence of Henry’s conflicts on history, covering topics ranging from the birth of the nation as a maritime power to the rise of modern mobilisation. Additionally, Gunn’s research sheds light on how attitudes towards various groups, including the French, Welsh, and Scots, were formed during this time. By delving into these areas, Gunn provides a comprehensive and detailed account of the impact of Henry’s reign, which continues to shape the course of history to this day.
1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII – Suzannah Lipscomb
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is one of the most acclaimed writers on Henry VIII through her books, A Visitor’s Companion to Tudor England and The King is Dead: The Last Will and Testament of Henry VIII. In 1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII, Lipscomb takes readers across the tumultuous 1536.
The year began with a jousting accident, saw the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion begin and saw Henry move from wife two to three with the execution of Anne Boleyn and his marriage to Jane Seymour less than two weeks later. Lipscomb transports readers back to this defining year in the life of Henry VIII, examining all the events that changed him for the remainder of his life.
Henry VIII: And The Men Who Made Him – Tracy Borman
While Henry VIII is commonly known as a tyrannical ruler whose decisions had a significant impact on English history, respected historian Tracy Borman offers a unique perspective in her biography of the king. Borman delves into the men who influenced Henry from behind the scenes, providing insight into the complex web of power and politics in the Tudor court. Through her research, Borman sheds light on the often-overlooked individuals who played a critical role in shaping Henry’s decisions, adding a new layer of depth to our understanding of this fascinating figure in history.
From friends, confidants, and ministers to rivals, these relationships wielded huge influence on the events over the course of Henry’s life, and his subsequent reputation with historians today. Borman’s book covers some of the lesser-known players at the centre of Tudor England and offers a fresh and unique perspective on the established image of Henry VIII.
Henry: Virtuous Prince – David Starkey
So much of Henry VIII’s legacy is built off of an image of a bloodthirsty overweight tyrant. But, in his acclaimed biography of his early life, David Starkey puts forward a radical re-evaluation of England’s most famous ruler.
Starkey explores how Henry never intended to be a ruler, only ascending to the throne at the age of seventeen due to his brother’s premature death. Starkey cultivates an image of a young ruler who excelled at Maths and Latin, was an athletic and attractive young man, and whose rule should have heralded a new dawn for England. Instead, the country was subjected to an insecure man, whose quest for fame would usher in a defining and unforgettable era of history.
Four Princes – John Julius Norwich
Through vivid details and colourful anecdotes, John Julius Norwich whisks readers to the heart of Renaissance Europe in Four Princes. The book tells the story of Henry VIII, Charles V, Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificient, four rulers who towered over 16th-century Europe. Norwich weaves together a narrative of how these four men were similar, how they were different, and how their dominance over the continent shaped European politics, religion and culture forever.
The Children Of Henry VIII – Alison Weir
Following his death in 1547, King Henry VIII left behind four heirs: Prince Edward, Princesses Mary and Elizabeth and his young great-niece, Lady Jane Grey. All four were born to different mothers, and all four had very different personalities and roles to play in history. In The Children of Henry VIII, Alison Weir explores the lives of all four of Henry VIII’s successors, and how each of them would usher in one of the Golden Ages in England’’s history.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
