Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him

The Secret History Behind the Tudor Throne

By: Tracy Borman

Narrated by: Julie Teal

Henry VIII is best known in history for his tempestuous marriages and the fates of his six wives. However, as acclaimed historian Tracy Borman makes clear in her illuminating new chronicle of Henry’s life, his reign and reputation were hugely influenced by the men who surrounded and interacted with him as companions and confidants, servants and ministers, and occasionally as rivals - many of whom have been underplayed in previous biographies.

These relationships offer a fresh, often surprising perspective on the legendary king, revealing the contradictions in his beliefs, behavior, and character in a nuanced light. They show him capable of fierce but seldom abiding loyalty, of raising men up only to destroy them later. He loved to be attended by boisterous young men, the likes of his intimate friend Charles Brandon, who shared his passion for sport, but could also be diverted by men of intellect, culture, and wit, as his longstanding interplay with Cardinal Wolsey and his reluctant abandonment of Thomas More attest. Eager to escape the shadow of his father, Henry VII, he was often trusting and easily led by male attendants and advisors early in his reign (his coronation was just shy of his 18th birthday in 1509); in time, though, he matured into a profoundly suspicious and paranoid king whose ruthlessness would be ever more apparent, as Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and uncle to two of Henry’s wives, discovered to his great discomfort, and as Eustace Chapuys, the ambassador of Charles V of Spain, often reported.

Recounting the great Tudor’s life and signal moments through the lens of his male relationships, Tracy Borman’s new biography reveals Henry’s personality in all its multi-faceted, contradictory glory, and sheds fresh light on his reign for anyone fascinated by the Tudor era and its legacy.

©2018 Tracy Borman, Hodder & Stoughton Limited (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Loved it

Interesting behind the scenes look at the life of King Henry VIII and his family

A Different Persoective

This book Isley outlines the musical chair and beheading of the queens and courtiers. However somehow Henry is portrayed as being wronged with an I’ll fate rather than the instigator of such a turbulent court.
This is a good book to listen to but do recommend reading other books on the subject to gain a better understanding of likes of Wolsey, Cromwell, Norfolk, seymore, ,

Very enjoyable!

Although there's a lot of books out there about the men that surrounded Henry VIII, Tracy Borman does a great job describing each one of their lives and how they influenced the king and the history of England. It covers pretty much all of Henry's life (since infancy) without being pretentious or going into too much details about politics and religion.
Julie Teal now is my most favorite narrator!
I definitely recommend it!

Superb!!

Brilliant presentation of a King whose life, beliefs and ideas shaped the future of the world! Superbly written and narrated , this book probes the intricate life of a monarch whose been all too completely obscured by generalities and folklore. Henry VIII was indeed tyrannical and egotistical but the road that led up to that is so well worth traveling. Bravo!!

Great new perspective on Henry VIII

Really enjoying this book. The new perspective of the 'men' in Henry's life is both interesting and refreshing! It has definitely added to my overall study of Henry VII. We need more books like this. And the performance is very, very good. Recommend this to anyone that enjoys this time in history.