Elizabeth of York was the mother of King Henry VIII and if you are a fan of fiction, "The White Princess". In this wonderful biography by Alison Weir, we meet the real Elizabeth, not the fictionalized one. While it is not as entertaining, the facts are presented in an easy to read way and I had a hard time putting this book down even though I knew most of the facts.
Elizabeth was the first child born to one of the most handsome Kings to ever grace the throne of England, Edward IV and his equally handsome wife, Elizabeth Wydeville (Woodville). Not surprisingly, she was a very pretty girl who grew into a beautiful woman.
She lived through one of the most tumultuous periods of England's history. She saw her father lose his throne and regain it, she was in sanctuary with her mother during part of the reign of her uncle Richard III, during this time her two brothers disappeared in the Tower of London and were never heard from again. She became a pawn in the struggle for power that culminated in the Battle of Bosworth and she was married to the winner, Henry Tudor.
She has been overshadowed by the six wives of her son, Henry VIII and yet she was a much more success queen than any of them. In this book, we learn the facts of her life and we get a glimpse of the woman she was. Of course, she didn't keep a diary and we don't know her inner thoughts but we do see what her life was like and how she coped with the many trials and joys that came her way.
Alison Weir writes what is termed popular history. She does not claim to be a historian but her works are extensively researched. She presents some possible suggestions for events that are clear-cut, like the death of the princes in the Tower but sticks pretty close to what is known and not what we would like to have the truth be.
If you enjoyed the White Princess, you can't help but compare it to this work and if you like your history to be historical, there is really no comparison, the history is much better in this book.
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