Young Henry

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Set during the same years as The Tudors, this book charts the rise of Henry VIII as a magnificent and ruthless monarch. Immortalized as a domineering king and notorious philanderer, Henry became a legend during his reign. Robert Hutchinson's account examines Henry Tudor's childhood and ascent to power in an intimate retelling of his early life. While his elder brother Arthur was groomed for the crown, the ten-year-old "spare heir" enjoyed a carefree childhood, free from the pressures of the throne. This changed dramatically when Arthur died, and Henry, just shy of eighteen, inherited both the crown and his brother's widow. As king, Henry favored magnificence and merriment over royal duties, transforming his father's court with feasting, dancing, and sport. Frustrated by Katherine of Aragon's failure to produce an heir, he turned his attention to Anne Boleyn, a name that would endure in history. However, by age 35, the time for youthful indulgence ended. Henry divorced his wife, broke from the Catholic Church, and executed those who opposed him, embarking on a scandalous path of self-indulgence. This work offers an illuminating portrait of a tyrannical yet groundbreaking king before he irrevocably transformed his country and the monarchy.