1536: The Year that Changed Henry VIII

by Suzannah Lipscomb

Overview

One of the best-known figures of British history, collective memory of Henry VIII presents us with the image of a corpulent, covetous, and cunning king whose appetite for worldly goods met few parallels, whose wives met infamously premature ends, and whose religion was ever political in intent. 

1536 - focusing on a pivotal year in the life of the King - reveals a fuller portrait of this complex monarch, detailing the finer shades of humanity that have so long been overlooked. We discover that in 1536 Henry met many failures - physical, personal, and political - and emerged from them a revolutionary new king who proceeded to transform a nation and reform a religion. 

A compelling story, the effects of which are still with us today, 1536 shows what a profound difference can be made merely by changing the heart of a king.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745959030
Publisher:	Lion Books
Publication date:	10/10/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	560,686
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Dr Suzannah Lipscomb is an historian, author, broadcaster and award-winning academic. Suzannah holds a BA (Hons) First in History and M.St. in Historical Research from Lincoln College, Oxford, and a D.Phil. in History from Balliol College, Oxford. Following posts as Research Curator at Hampton Court Palace, Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History and Fellow of the New College of the Humanities, London (NCH) and, additionally, Head of the Faculty of History from 2011-2016, she is now Reader in Early Modern History at the University of Roehampton,a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Govenor of Epsom College (where she was educated).  Suzannah has presented historical documentaries on BBC4, ITV, Channel 5 and National Geographic Channel, and writes a regular column for History Today. Suzannah is the author of six books. Notably, the pioneering Lion book, 1536: The Year that Changed Henry VIII. Suzannah is an award-winning academic, and has recieved the following awards: AHRC Humanities in the Creative Economy Award 2011, Museums Heritage Award for Excellence 2012, and the Nancy Roelker Prize 2012. Suzannah is an award-winning podcast presenter, and has recieved the Silver Award or Best Branded Content at the British Podcast Awards 2018 for -Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places- with Historic England. She is also an accomplished public speaker, and has given many keynote and invited public lectures all over the world, from the USA to Singapore. She also speaks regularly at literary festivals, and at universities and schools. In 2016, she founded History Masterclass with Dr Sam Willis to create intimate, interactive opportunities for the public to learn about history from leading historians.

Table of Contents

Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Illustrations 11
Preface 13
PART ONE – Setting the Scene 17
Prologue 19
Chapter 1. The Change 23
Chapter 2. Young Henry 27
Chapter 3. The Divorce 36
Chapter 4. 1536 and All That 43
PART TWO – The Crisis of Masculinity 47
Chapter 5. A Wife’s Death 50
Chapter 6. The King’s Honour 55
Chapter 7. The Fall of Anne Boleyn 65
Chapter 8. A Dearth of Heirs 90
Chapter 9. Masculinity and Image 95
PART THREE – The King’s Religion 105
Chapter 10. The Reformation in England 109
Chapter 11. 1536: The Church Established 113
Chapter 12. The Role of Henry VIII in Later Reformation 126
Chapter 13. Henry VIII’s Theology 136
Chapter 14. The Aftermath of the Reformation 141
PART FOUR – Henry the Tyrant 145
Chapter 15. The Pilgrimage of Grace 149
Chapter 16. The Mouldwarp Prophecy 172
Chapter 17. Courtly Dissent 178
Chapter 18. Did Henry VIII Become a Tyrant? 183
Epilogue 204
Appendix 1 Timeline of 1536 210
Appendix 2 Henry VIII’s Wives 212
Appendix 3 The Cost of Living in Henry VIII’s Reign 213
Notes 216
Further Reading 231
Index 234

What People are Saying About This

Lucy Wooding

'Suzannah Lipscomb has achieved the near-impossible: she's found an intriguing new way of imagining the king we thought we all knew about.' Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator, Historic Royal Palaces

From the Publisher

'Suzannah Lipscomb has achieved the near-impossible: she's found an intriguing new way of imagining the king we thought we all knew about.' Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator, Historic Royal Palaces

Editorial Reviews

"A bold and original attempt to unravel one of the great mysteries of English history: how, when and why Henry VIII changes from a handsome Prince Charming into a fat and loathsome Bluebeard."

David Starkey

"The paradox of Henry VIII is brilliantly unravelled by Suzannah Lipscomb as she reveals the multiple nightmares of the King's annus horribilis.

Peter Furtado

"Fresh and lively, historically accurate and also entertaining... gives a chatty, original, readable and engaging account of the personal and political transformation of the man, the kingdom and the legend"

Lucy Wooding