In the Lion's Court : Power, Ambition, and Sudden Death in the Reign of Henry VIII

The story of Henry VIII and his six wives is a well-known example of the caprice and violence that dominated that king's reign. Now Derek Wilson examines a set of relationships that more vividly illustrate just how dangerous life was in the court of the Tudor lion. He tells the interlocking stories of six men-all, curiously enough, called Thomas-whose ambitions and principles brought them face to face with violent death, as recorded in a simple mnemonic: 'Died, beheaded, beheaded, Self-slaughtered, burned, survived.' Thomas Wolsey was an accused traitor on his way to the block when a kinder death intervened. Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell, whose convictions and policies could scarcely have been more different, both perished beneath the headman's axe. Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, would have met the same end had the king's own death not brought him an eleventh hour reprieve. Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, though outliving the monarch, perished as a result of that war of ambitions and ideologies which rumbled on after 1547. Wriothesley succumbed to poison of either body or mind in the aftermath of a failed coup. Cranmer went to the stake as a heretic at the insistence of Mary Tudor, who was very much the daughter of the father she hated. In the Lion's Court is an illuminating examination of the careers of the six Thomases, whose lives are described in parallel-their family and social origins, their pathways to the royal Council chamber, their occupancy of the Siege Perilous, and the tragedies that, one by one, overwhelmed them. By showing how events shaped and were shaped by relationships and personal destinies, Derek Wilson offers a fresh approach to the political narrative of a tumultuous reign. Derek Wilson Examines A Set Of Relationships Which Illustrate Just How Dangerous Life Was In The Court Of The Tudor Lion. He Tells The Interlocking Stories Of Six Men - All, Curiously, Called Thomas - Whose Ambitions And Principles Brought Them Face To Face With Violent Death. Thomas Wolsey Was An Accused Traitor On His Way To The Block When A Kinder Death Intervened. Thomas More And Thomas Cromwell, Whose Convictions And Policies Could Scarcely Have Been More Different, Both Perished Beneath The Headman's Axe. Thomas Howard, Duke Of Norfolk, Would Have Met The Same End Had The King's Own Death Not Brought Him An Eleventh-hour Reprieve. Thomas Wriothesley, Earl Of Southampton, And Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop Of Canterbury, Though Outliving The Monarch, Perished As A Result Of That War Of Ambitions And Ideologies Which Rumbled On After 1547. Wriothesley Succumbed To Poison Of Either Body Or Mind In The Aftermath Of A Failed Coup. Cranmer Went To The Stake As A Heretic At The Insistence Of Mary Tudor, Who Was Very Much The Daughter Of The Father She Hated. In The Lion's Court Is An Illuminating Examination Of The Careers Of The Six Thomases, Whose Lives Are Described In Parallel - Their Family And Social Origins, Their Pathways To The Royal Council Chamber, Their Occupancy Of The Siege Perilous, And The Tragedies Which, One By One, Overwhelmed Them. By Showing How Events Shaped And Were Shaped By Relationships And Personal Destinies, Derek Wilson Offers A Fresh Approach To The Political Narrative Of A Tumultuous Reign. CONTENTS: About the Book About the Author List of Illustrations Title Page Epigraph Introduction PART ONE: 1499 1 A Question of Identity 2 Walking the Tightrope 3 The Life of the University and the University of Life PART TWO: 1509 4 A Lawyer’s Life 5 A Fair Beginning 6 Council and Councillor 7 Obscure Origins PART THREE: 1519 8 Warrior King 9 Friends, Lovers and Creatures 10 Eminence 11 Wisdom and Folly 12 Prince, Priests and Philosophers 13 In the Thickets of Obscurity PART FOUR: 1529 14 Wolsey – The Peacock Years 15 Out in the Cold 16 A Man of Property 17 Storms and Storm Damage 18 The Fatal Failure 19 Hopes and Fears 20 The Rise of the New Men PART FIVE: 1539 21 New Brooms 22 Out of Control 23 End of an Era 24 Under New Management 25 The End of the Affair 26 The Unholy Maid 27 Morus Contra Mundum 28 Annus Horribilis 29 New Men, New Ideas, Old Anxieties PART SIX: 1549 30 The Scaffold at the Centre of the Labyrinth 31 Faith and Faction 32 A Lion in the Daniels’ Den 33 Long Live the King Epilogue: 1559 34 Requiescant Endnotes Bibliography Index Copyright The author examines a set of relationships which illustrate just how dangerous life was in the court of the Tudor lion, Henry VIII. Wilson tells the interlocking stories of six men (all, curiously, named Thomas) whose ambitions and principles brought them face to face with violent death.