Extraordinary read
It is ironic that the fervent Catholic Henry VIII, on whom the Pope bestowed the title Defender of the Faith, should be the king who turned England away from Rome. It is also curious that he never converted to the Church of England, which he established. To this day, no Catholic can become monarch of Albion.
All because Henry Tudor in the 16th century wanted a son. The best his even more devout wife, Katherine of Aragon, could do was deliver him a daughter, Mary. Anne Boleyn, raised in the court of France, promised him a son and he was hooked.
Had the Pope gone along with it, it would just have been the exchange of one wife for another. But he didn’t — couldn’t — and that was the rub. Catholics can only divorce under certain circumstances, infertility not being one of them. Katherine pleaded the sanctity of holy matrimony.
The prelates and chancellors of England refused to oppose the will of Rome and Henry made them a head shorter. Katherine passed away and Anne took her place on the throne and in her bed. But when she gave birth it was to a daughter, Elizabeth, who was unwanted and rejected by her father.
As it was the best Anne could do, Henry determined to ditch her and try his luck with another prospect. The Pope turned his nose up. Would no one help the king? Enter Thomas Cromwell, with a hat full of tricks. Appointed chancellor, he proceeded to use them to good effect.
In Bring Up The Bodies, British historical novelist Hilary Mantel focuses on how the chancellor brought down a queen. It wasn’t very difficult — accusing her of mass infidelities. A number of men were tortured into confessing that they were her lovers. Anne’s protests of innocence were scoffed at.
So convincing was the “evidence” that Henry believed it and hated her for it. Turning on Holy Mother Church and rising above her station made the Boleyns many enemies. There were those who maintained that the Tudors were not the rightful royal family. An executioner was brought from France for the condemned queen.
Bring Up The Dead was awarded the Man Booker Prize and named Best Book of the Year. Thomas Cromwell gets no gold star for honesty. Never-the-less he kept his master in power. And unlike many others in high places, he died at peace in his bed.
An extraordinary read.