Anne of Cleves
Sarah-Beth Watkins
Anne of
Cleves or Anna von Julich-Kleve-Berg was born in Düsseldorf, in what
is today the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, the second daughter of the
German Duke of Cleves. She became the fourth wife of Henry VIII when
changing political alliances between England, France and the Holy
Roman Empire necessitated the need for England to align closer with
German allies. The marriage between Anne and Henry was arranged by
Chief Minister Cromwell, but almost immediately after the wedding,
Henry was searching for a way to end it. He was ready to marry
Katherine Howard, a cousin of Anne Boleyn.
Once Anne was no longer Queen of England, she was given the title of Sister to the King. Perhaps not the role she had expected or wanted, it was one that allowed her to navigate her way through the chaotic and often treacherous court intrigue of Henry's reign. She not only managed to remain unharmed but amassed great wealth. Sadly, on the death of the King, her fortunes seemed to decline. While reading this account of her life, I couldn't help but think of a game of musical chairs. Everything that was given by one king could be disposed of by another which must have made life precarious, to say the least.
It's hard to fully imagine what life in those times must have been like. I love the fact that this book gave me a sense of the uncertainty and extraordinary circumstances Anne of Cleves and those around her encountered. So, if like me you are fascinated by Henry VIII and his court you will want to read this book to get a better picture of the life of this interesting woman.
Once Anne was no longer Queen of England, she was given the title of Sister to the King. Perhaps not the role she had expected or wanted, it was one that allowed her to navigate her way through the chaotic and often treacherous court intrigue of Henry's reign. She not only managed to remain unharmed but amassed great wealth. Sadly, on the death of the King, her fortunes seemed to decline. While reading this account of her life, I couldn't help but think of a game of musical chairs. Everything that was given by one king could be disposed of by another which must have made life precarious, to say the least.
It's hard to fully imagine what life in those times must have been like. I love the fact that this book gave me a sense of the uncertainty and extraordinary circumstances Anne of Cleves and those around her encountered. So, if like me you are fascinated by Henry VIII and his court you will want to read this book to get a better picture of the life of this interesting woman.
Thanks
to Chronos Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an
honest review.
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