Lady Katherine Knollys
Lady Katherine Knollys

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2015-01-30

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 1782795847

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Katherine Knollys was Mary Boleyn's first child, born in 1524 when Mary was having an affair with King Henry VIII. Katherine spent her life unacknowledged as the king's daughter, yet she was given prime appointments at court as maid of honour to both Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. She married Francis Knollys when she was 16 and went on to become mother to many successful men and women at court including Lettice Knollys who created a scandal when she married Sir Robert Dudley, the queen's favourite. This fascinating book studies Katherine's life and times, including her intriguing relationship with Elizabeth I.

The Tudor Brandons
The Tudor Brandons

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2016-06-24

Total Pages: 187

ISBN-13: 1785353330

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This fascinating book studies the life and times of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, Henry VIII's dearest sister and his closest companion. Charles rose from being Henry's childhood friend to becoming the Duke of Suffolk; a consummate courtier and diplomat. Mary was always royalty. At first married to the King of France, Mary quickly wed Charles after Louis XII's death in 1515, against her brother's wishes. Their actions could have been construed as treason yet Henry chose to spare their lives. They returned to court and despite their ongoing disagreements throughout the years, especially over the king's marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Tudor Brandons remained Henry's most loyal subjects and perhaps more importantly, his beloved family.

Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2018-10-26

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 1785359053

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Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was never brought up to be a queen yet out of many possible choices, she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. Yet from their first meeting the king decided he liked her not and sought an immediate divorce. After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards.

Ireland's Suffragettes
Ireland's Suffragettes

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2014-06-02

Total Pages: 151

ISBN-13: 0750958979

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Ireland's Suffragettes is a collection of biographical essays introducing the suffragettes who influenced Ireland's struggle for women's rights. Many of the women were political activists while others became militant suffragettes between 1912 and 1914. The struggle of the suffragettes is different to that of the UK, in that many Irish suffragettes were also included in the struggle for independence and the inclusion of women in the trade unions movement. Drawing on primary sources located in the National Archives and the National Library, Ireland's Suffragettes will bring to life not only the most famous names in the suffragette movement but also the other women who made women's rights their lives work.

Sir Francis Bryan
Sir Francis Bryan

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2020-01-31

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 1789043425

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Sir Francis Bryan was Henry VIII's most notorious ambassador and one of his closest companions. Bryan was a man of many talents; jouster, poet, rake and hell-raiser, gambler, soldier, sailor and diplomat. He served his king throughout his life and unlike many of the other men who served Henry VIII, Bryan kept his head and outlived his sovereign. This book tells the story of his life from coming to court at a young age through all his diplomatic duties to his final years in Ireland. The latest book from the best-selling author of Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII

Elizabeth's Rival
Elizabeth's Rival

Author: Nicola Tallis

Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books

Published: 2017-11-02

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 1782437517

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The first biography of Lettice Knollys, one of the most prominent women of the Elizabethan era, also examines the relationship between Elizabeth and Lettice's husband, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, within the context of his third marriage.

Charles II's Favourite Mistress
Charles II's Favourite Mistress

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: Pen and Sword History

Published: 2021-10-30

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 1399000578

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Nell Gwyn, the most infamous mistress of Charles II, was a commoner raised from the dingy back alleys of London to the stage and into a king’s arms. Hers was a true rags to riches story that saw a young girl rise from selling oranges to capturing the heart of a king. The Restoration period was one of change. After the troubled years of the English Civil War, it was time for pleasure, debauchery and entertainment with the ‘Merry Monarch’ restored to the throne. Nell was one of the first actresses on stage; a loveable comedienne who wowed audiences with her wit and charm. She fell in love with Charles Hart (one of the leading actors of the time), had a torrid affair with Lord Buckhurst and ultimately ended up in the king’s bed. She stayed on the stage for six years, but she stayed in the king’s heart for seventeen – his only mistress who was faithful to him. Set against the backdrop of Restoration London, this book charts Nell’s life and that of her family and friends – from her drunken mother and troublesome sister to the most notorious wits of the age John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester and George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. Nell had a generous heart and a mischievous spirit, and was friends with people from all walks of life. The only woman she really detested was another of the king’s mistresses, Louise de Kerouaille, known as the French Spy. This highly entertaining book will tell the story of Nell’s life – the good and the bad – and show why Nell truly embodies the spirit of the Restoration.

Elizabeth I's Last Favourite
Elizabeth I's Last Favourite

Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins

Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Published: 2021-03-26

Total Pages: 187

ISBN-13: 1789045967

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Despite widespread interest in Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, little has been written about him in decades past. In Elizabeth I's Last Favourite, Sarah-Beth Watkins brings the story of his life, and death, back into the public eye. In the later years of Elizabeth I's reign, Robert Devereux became the ageing queen's last favourite. The young upstart courtier was the stepson of her most famous love, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Although he tried, throughout his life, to live up to his stepfather's memory, Essex would never be the man he was. His love for the queen ran in tandem with undercurrents of selfishness and greed. Yet, Elizabeth showered him with affection, gifts and the tolerance only a mother could have for an errant son. In return, for a time, Essex flattered her and pandered to her every whim. But, one disastrous commission after another befell the earl, from his military campaigns, to voyages seeking treasure, to his stint as spymaster. Ultimately, his relationship with the queen would suffer and his final act of rebellion would force Elizabeth I to ensure her last favourite troubled her no more.

Bessie Blount
Bessie Blount

Author: Elizabeth Norton

Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited

Published: 2011-11-15

Total Pages: 656

ISBN-13: 1445608022

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Beautiful, young, exuberant, the amazing life of Henry VIII's mistress and mother to his first son who came tantalizingly close to succeeding him as King Henry IX.