What's New at Tudor England?

29 September 2004
Professor Eric Ives, who wrote the definitive biography of Anne Boleyn in 1986, has just released The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy (US and UK), which incorporates new research and addresses issues raised by the biographies of Anne which followed his own (including Warnicke and Starkey's work.) Tudor enthusiasts know that Warnicke's The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn questioned many of Ives's conclusions.

I should stress that this is a new biography, not simply a new edition of the 1986 work.

If you haven't been to Tudor England: Images in a while, please visit. I did post lots of new portraits in the last month or so, - check out the Henry VII - Henry VIII - and Mary, queen of Scots pages.

20 September 2004
The Henry VIII miniseries starring Ray Winstone is being released on Region 1 dvd on 16 November for US viewers.
However, it will appear on PBS as a two-part 'Masterpiece Theatre' presentation before its DVD release, on 7 November and 14 November. Click here to visit the PBS Previews page.

Henry VIII dvd Henry's 38-year reign saw England transformed from a sleepy backwater of jousting tournaments and Catholic piety to a nation torn by religious and political strife - all because the king wanted a male heir.

"He was a very troubled man," observes Winstone, who in the course of the film ages from the young athletic king to the burly icon familiar from Hans Holbein paintings. "This is a man who allowed two of his wives - women he loved passionately - to be murdered. At the same time, he wrote beautiful love letters, understood science and, to a certain extent, was a great ambassador. He was an intelligent, gentle, romantic man who lost his way when it came to love."

July 2004
According to Outpost Gallifrey, the new Doctor Who series will feature an appearance by Henry VIII:

The Ninth Doctor is being played by Christopher Eccleston, who played the duke of Norfolk in 1998's Elizabeth. Yes, these are tenuous Tudor links but I'm a Doctor Who fan as well.

Thanks to the Barbie collector who emailed me the link to the 'World of Royalty: Queen Elizabeth I' doll. For those of you who missed the 1995 Elizabeth doll, mark September in your calendars. And start saving - the doll will probably retail at $250.

Aussie's The Daily Telegraph spoke to Elizabeth director Shekhar Kapur who says that he is working on a sequel to the 1998 Cate Blanchett drama.

Blanchett is expected to take the throne again and star in the epic - based on Queen Elizabeth I - which has the working title of Golden Age. "It is about the battle between her life as a monarch and her personal life," Kapur said. "It ends in the destruction of the Spanish Armada on the larger level."

The Indian-born Kapur said the script, which Michael Hirst is working on, would be ready in six months. "And then it depends on Cate's schedule and my schedule as to when we start shooting."

More links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127536/news
http://in.news.yahoo.com/040604/139/2dhbb.html

Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn was recently released. I am still working on the new and improved Reviews section, but here is a quick review - this is a worthwhile addition to your Tudor library. I've read enough about both women to wonder if I would learn anything from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. A liberal use of primary sources plus a lovely selection of portraits - and the book jacket and boards are beautifully designed. As competition for Alison Plowden's Two Queens in One Isle, this book is the better choice.

At last! Finally, another major biography of Mary Stuart has been released. Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart is by noted Tudor historian John Guy. Antonia Fraser's biography was serviceable but my own casual research revealed large gaps in her use of primary sources. I always wondered - when would another historian focus on Mary's tumultuous life? I should note that the UK version of this work is entitled My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots and the jacket features the Clouet sketch of an adolescent Mary. The American edition, shown above, has the 'hat' portrait minus the hat! As an admirer of the hat and its fluffy feather, I'm rather disappointed.

Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England's Tragic Queen by Joanna Denny was published in April in the UK. In comparison with the two existing major biographies of Anne (by Carrolly Erickson and Retha Warnicke), this one is the most successful 'popular' biography. And no, I don't mean 'popular' as a slur; far from it. I'll post my review at the new Reviews section when I've finished.

The Folger Shakespeare Library has finished its nine-year restoration of the Trevelyon Miscellany. It's now the focus of an excellent exhibit.