The Virgin's Lover

Yep I gave in and bought a knew Philippa Gregory book. I love her books.  It has a lot to do with that I am History major and English History is my favorite.  I took a full semester of Tudor/Stewart History.  Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I are my favorite monarchs.  They are so interesting.  Believe it or not what Philippa Gregory writes in her books are mostly true.  Henry VIII was notorious for having affairs.  He was completely ate up with syphilis by the time that he died.  He changed the Church of England depending on to who he was married.  If he had not had a child with Anne Boleyn, he probably would never have attempted a divorce.  The only reason was he was granted a divorce was because Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry's brother, who was suppose to be the King of England, but died.  Anne Boleyn more than likely did have an affair with her own brother just to attempt to produce a male heir.  He hated Anne of Cleves the moment she arrived.  Kathryn Howard was truly a whore, way worse than Anne Boleyn, BUT Henry knew this BEFORE he married her.  But he used it as an excuse to have her executed.

Elizabeth I was the last of Henry's children than anyone in the country wanted to see on the throne.  Her mother had conceived her and married Henry BEFORE he was divorced from Catherine of Aragon.  But she was by far a better monarch than the little Tudors (what historians call her siblings since they ruled for such a short time).  Her sister, Queen Mary, was convinced she was pregnant even though her husband had not been in England for almost a year, one thing that Philippa Gregory left out.  Also, Gregory paints Elizabeth has frail and weak....this is SO NOT true! Elizabeth was strong, and was just as much as King as was her father. Yes I said King, she wanted people to see her as a King not a queen.  She wanted people to know that she could rule like a king.  Although she did have an affair with Robert Dudley, he is not the reason she never married. Yes she did love him and was upset that they could never marry.  But she played with the idea of marriage like a chess game.  It was her way of making allies, Gregory does show this extremely well.  She also wanted to prove to England that she could rule without a man.  So do not think that she was ever weak. 

If you have not read any of Philippa Gregory's books you really should.  They are filled with historical accounts, but be warned there is A LOT of sex!