Stevie‘s review of Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen (Six Tudor Queens, Book 1) by Alison Weir
Biographical Historical Fiction published by Ballantine Books 31 May 16
Katherine of Aragon seems to get a slightly raw deal in popular history. The longest-serving of Henry VIII’s six wives, she is remembered mainly as the one he divorced for not giving him a male heir, thus prompting the split between the Church in England and Rome. However, her life merits more than that brief aside, and Alison Weir has set out to rectify that omission with a story covering the whole of Katherine’s life. A daunting task – the Queen lived on some considerable time after her exile from the Royal Court – and I’ve previously had reservations about how long a fictionalised biography can be while still holding the reader’s interest. Nonetheless, I was intrigued enough to pick this one up and give it a go.
The story opens with the young Infanta Catalina reaching the end of her long and arduous voyage from Spain to England, where she is finally going to meet her betrothed, Prince Arthur – the eldest son and heir to Henry VII. Even before they disembark, Katherine and her ladies in waiting have their suspicions that all is not well with the young man – a year Katherine’s junior – and, sure enough, their worries are confirmed when they discover how sickly he is. The couple are firmly encouraged to go through with their wedding as soon as possible, but not to consummate the marriage until Arthur is older and stronger. So, although they are seen to go to bed together, nothing happens that night, or throughout the brief months they are together.
Arthur, as we know from the history books, is never to recover from his series of illnesses and, following his death, Katherine has to endure not only widowhood but also isolation and relative poverty as Henry VII prevents her return to Spain while he negotiates a new marriage for her to his second son, now his heir, the young Henry. This is a protracted process since Henry is some years younger than his brother, but at last he reaches maturity and a settlement is agreed on. At first all goes well for the two, and Katherine, first as Princess of Wales and then as Queen to Henry VIII following his father’s death, is able to provide support and counsel to her husband. However, Henry needs a healthy male heir as desperately as did his father and Katherine undergoes a series of pregnancies which result in only one surviving child – a girl in a time when no woman has successfully ruled England, and in which the rare women rulers of other countries are regarded with suspicion if not outright distrust and hostility.
At last, with Katherine’s childbearing years seemingly at an end, Henry begins searching out evidence to prove his marriage invalid on account of the prior relationship between his wife and his brother. Katherine and her supporters seek to disprove every charge Henry makes against her, but at last she finds herself once again isolated, though not entirely friendless nor any less popular with the ordinary people of England, moving between a series of desolate royal residences with very few opportunities to see her beloved daughter.
I found this book gripping in spite of the huge amount of ground it sought to cover and was pleased to see a historical tale told almost entirely from the point of view of women and foreigners. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series, since I’m sure there’s much more to Henry’s other wives than we generally get to see.
Grade: B
Summary:
Bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir takes on what no fiction writer has done before: creating a dramatic six-book series in which each novel covers one of King Henry VIII’s wives. In this captivating opening volume, Weir brings to life the tumultuous tale of Katherine of Aragon, Henry’s first, devoted, and “true” queen.
A princess of Spain, Catalina is only sixteen years old when she sets foot on the shores of England. The youngest daughter of the powerful monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, Catalina is a coveted prize for a royal marriage—and Arthur, Prince of Wales, and heir to the English throne, has won her hand. But tragedy strikes and Catalina, now Princess Katherine, is betrothed to the future Henry VIII. She must wait for his coming-of-age, an ordeal that tests her resolve, casts doubt on her trusted confidantes, and turns her into a virtual prisoner.
Katherine’s patience is rewarded when she becomes Queen of England. The affection between Katherine and Henry is genuine, but forces beyond her control threaten to rend her marriage, and indeed the nation, apart. Henry has fallen under the spell of Katherine’s maid of honor, Anne Boleyn. Now Katherine must be prepared to fight, to the end if God wills it, for her faith, her legitimacy, and her heart.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
