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    Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
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    Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
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    Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World
    Audiobook22 hours

    Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World

    Written by Alison Weir

    Narrated by Maggie Mash

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Many are familiar with the story of the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry' s mother and Elizabeth' s grandmother, spanned one of England' s most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman, whose very existence united the realm and ensured the survival of the Plantagenet bloodline.

    Her birth was greeted with as much pomp and ceremony as that of a male heir. The first child of King Edward IV, Elizabeth enjoyed all the glittering trappings of royalty. But after the death of her father; the disappearance and probable murder of her brothers-- the Princes in the Tower; and the usurpation of the throne by her calculating uncle Richard III, Elizabeth found her world turned upside-down: She and her siblings were declared bastards.

    As Richard' s wife, Anne Neville, was dying, there were murmurs that the king sought to marry his niece Elizabeth, knowing that most people believed her to be England' s rightful queen. Weir addresses Elizabeth' s possible role in this and her covert support for Henry Tudor, the exiled pretender who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII, first sovereign of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth' s subsequent marriage to Henry united the houses of York and Lancaster and signaled the end of the Wars of the Roses. For centuries historians have asserted that, as queen, she was kept under Henry' s firm grasp, but Weir shows that Elizabeth proved to be a model consort-- pious and generous-- who enjoyed the confidence of her husband, exerted a tangible and beneficial influence, and was revered by her son, the future King Henry VIII.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2013
    ISBN9781470392154
    Unavailable
    Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World

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    Reviews for Elizabeth of York

    4/5

    19 ratings41 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Weir writes in her own style. She was one of the first historical authors so her style does not bother me because I am used to it. Weir sometimes hyperfocuses on details that are not very important at all. I can see how this book would be challenging because you have to look at the lives of others around her to find out things about her life.
    • 3/5
      A thorough examination of Elizabeth of York's life. Elizabeth of York clearly lived an interesting life, as the daughter of the Yorkist king Edward IV and his infamous wife Elizabeth Wydeville, as the older sister of the Princes in the Tower, as a potential bride of her uncle Richard III, and as the wife of the first Tudor king Henry VII. However, I noticed that the documentation on Elizabeth's life is somewhat thin, as Alison Weir relies on circumstantial evidence to recreate some portions of Elizabeth's life. In addition, my primary compliant is the author's fondness of descriptions and lists! This book includes long lists of every type of food served at a particular fest and long descriptions of expenses, clothing, and pageants. While not without their historical value, the author did seem to go a little overboard.
    • 4/5
      As usual with Alison Weir's work, you can be overwhelmed by the detail, but I personally enjoy all the info. she normally provides and this book is no exception to that. As always. her writing style makes for an easy read, and if you have an interest in the Tudors, it will be well worth reading.
    • 4/5
      I took on this non-fiction account of the life of Elizabeth of York in order to be more knowledgeable about the real-life people I am reading about when I read Tudor fiction. However, Elizabeth of York is one of the many women of the era that we simply do not have much information about. Obviously, Alison Weir has done as much research as she possibly can on Elizabeth of York, but there is still a lot of postulating happening with the use of 'may have,' 'probably felt,' and 'most likely' finding their way into the text at many points. That being said, I still enjoyed reading the book, although some parts were a little heavy on the facts. For my purposes, I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth's life during the War of the Roses where she was in sanctuary and about her marriage to Henry VII. In many of the fictitious accounts I have read, Elizabeth of York was not exactly in a loving relationship with Henry VII and especially not in a great relationship with her mother-in-law Margaret Beaufort. Alison Weir presents evidence that Henry VII and Elizabeth found an affectionate and mutually beneficial relationship rather quickly with Elizabeth having influence over Henry VII decisions and involvement in different affairs of state. It was amazing to me that we know specific things like exactly what was served at Elizabeth's coronation ceremony and every dress she owned, but the fates of her brothers who mysteriously disappeared from the Tower of London. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      I'm a fan of historical biography. On the publishing front, Elizabeth of York tends to be overshadowed by her descendants (especially her namesake), making this book an appealing read about an often overlooked character. Alison Weir always does a great job on the research front. The early years of Elizabeth of York's story were well written and a page-turner. The pace started to drag once she married, and a gripping story morphed into large chunks of quotations. In an ideal world the author would have written two books (or perhaps a split book): one (part) would cover the "story" of Elizabeth and be written in the same style as the early parts of this work; the other would be the academic treatise covering who said what and when, what differing scholars believe, etc. The mix of a great story and the myriad quotes caused the work to drag, and felt like a letdown. I had truly enjoyed the initial pace, and then felt forced to stop, wade through the large section of quotes, and hope that things picked up. I don't object to a quote-filled, scholarly work (I own enough of them and appreciate them for the effort involved and what I can learn from them), but bogging down the pace of the story cost it some of its charm.
    • 4/5
      It took quite a while to read through this well documented biography of Elizabeth of York. I'm glad I did. I have a better understanding of that time period now. In order to give us a picture of Elizabeth's life, Alison Weir tells of the many people surrounding her: her parents, Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydeville; her mother-in-law, Margaret Beaufort; her husband, Henry VII; her siblings; cousins; and uncles. In fact at times the book seems more about them than Elizabeth. All these other people however, are necessary to shed light on Elizabeth of York. They help us to see the constraints that she lived under. She was the daughter of a king, the wife of another king but yet she seems to have had very little power over her own life. This book is worth reading to gain an understanding of the political world of England in the 1500s.
    • 4/5
      I find Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World an absorbing book. I have not finished it yet as I'm reading several additional books at the same time, but Weir's book is one that I take with me when I don't want to get caught without something to read.So far, I find this book well-written and well-researched. I find the information about how 15th century parents raised their children fascinating, and that' snot something I think you'll find in many other nonfiction books that cover this time period. Elizabeth of York reads at a fairly good clip and so far, Weir's debunking old palace gossip (such as Edward IV's alleged illegitimacy) is logical and sufficiently supported through the close reading of historical documents and analysis of historical anecdotes.I love this particular time period, and I look forward to finishing Elizabeth of York. I give 4 stars based on my reading so far.
    • 4/5
      Elizabeth of York is another solid history by Alison Weir. Chronicled is the life of Elizabeth, the White Queen. Daughter, wife and mother of kings, Elizabeth is an overlooked, by highly important figure in the British Monarchy. She survived extreme turmoil after the death of her father. Her uncle Richard the III probably had her two brothers, the infamous princes in the tower, murdered. Married off to the conqueror Henry VII, Elizabeth was a devoted wife and mother. Lovers of all things Tudor will not be disappointed in this history. Weir's careful attention to historical detail is on display and readers are given a clear view of what Elizabeth's day to day life was probably like.
    • 4/5
      I have always been a fan of Alison Weir and she did not disappoint. This book is well researched, focusing on Elizabeth of York's life from birth to death. It is by far not a "boring" book and I learned quite a lot regarding not just Elizabeth of York but also the transition between the powerful families during that time. Even though this is a fairly long book, it was a quick read for me. This is the first book I've read on this amazing woman and I'm not surrpised. She's often overlooked, even though she was the mother of kings and a Queen. Her life began during quite turmoil, which Ms. Weir details well. Although this is a biography of one woman, it shows the change from the Lancaster line to the York line and finally to the infamous Tudor line. I definitely recommend this to readers who are either not familiar with this time period or highly familiar. It is a great read, informative and entertaining at the same time.
    • 2/5
      Let me start off by saying I rated this book so low because I discovered I don't enjoy historical nonfiction. Personally, I like Weir's writing and enjoyed the two other fiction works I've read from her. But for me, this book was boring. There are too many facts (yes, I know that's the point, when I entered to win this book I didn't realize it was nonfiction). I couldn't keep the timeline straight and at this period in time there were so many people with the same damn name, I hardly know who's who! There were many details regarding who built what castle, when and why, who wore what clothing to what event and why, and what it cost then and now, etc - it was just too much for me. I couldn't get into it. It took me almost two weeks to get through this and I kept picking up other books instead, which isn't normally something I do. One thing that helped is that I'm reading the Cousin's War series by Philippa Gregory, which deals with Elizabeth's family, so I already had and idea of the main players. But I'll stick with Weir's fiction from now on - this just wasn't my thing. However, if you enjoy reading nonfiction then I think you'll enjoy this book.
    • 4/5
      Alison Weir's Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World is not a biography for a casual reader. Weir has done meticulous research, and she apparently makes every bit of it available. While the broad outlines of Elizabeth's life are verifiable, not enough of her letters or other writing survives to make a lifelike portrait possible. At least Weir is clear when she is speculating, but her writing is not inspiring, so Elizabeth remains an ambiguous figure. Elizabeth lived through dramatic times. I had no idea, for example, that her uncle Richard III contemplated marrying her and that she was not averse to the idea although she was supposed to have pledged herself to Henry Tudor. When she married him after he defeated Richard at Bosworth, she and Henry had what Weir describes as a good marriage if not a happy one. Always short of money, Elizabeth was apparently the perfect queen: loyal, devout, philanthropic, fertile. She was in the king's confidence but did not exercise her power beyond her womanly sphere.A good part of the book consists of lists, some interesting, some tedious. We learn about her clothes and furs and their cost (incredible cost! Current equivalent value is given) and the same for food and shrines and churches visited on her royal progresses and names of servants and attendants and their salaries. Now that I've finished the book, I'm glad to have read it, but I must say that it took some discipline to plow through it.
    • 5/5
      Alison Weir does it again in her well researched and beautifully written book Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World. Weir will take the reader back in time to revisit the life and time of the first Elizabeth, mother of King Henry VIII and grandmother to the Queen Elizabeth I, and the first Tudor Queen. Brought up during the War of the Roses Elizabeth is often overshadowed by her infamous son, questionable uncle, and a raging war between the two most powerful houses: York and Lancaster. Weir brings Elizabeth of York to life in her extensively detailed book and it is quite easy to be swept away amidst the scandals, controversies, and the time period. I highly recommend Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen to anyone who enjoys well written historical fiction and even to those who think the genre is not for them, Weir is at the top of her game is this exceptional historical book.
    • 2/5
      Elizabeth of York, King Henry VIII's mother, lived during a very dangerous time for those of royal blood. When her father died, her uncle Richard, seized power and Elizabeth's family was forced into sanctuary. Her two brothers, "the princes in the tower" disappeared under mysterious circumstances, leading most to believe that Richard had them killed. Declared a bastard by her uncle, Elizabeth dreamed of the exiled Henry Tudor, rescuing her and restoring her to the throne.I have to admit that I only made it about halfway through this book. I grew tired of the author's constant analysis of letters and poems. It became repetitive and seemed to go on forever. At times I wished the author had just shown us the poem/letter and let us analyzed it ourselves. Since I did not finish this book, I find it hard to recommend for others or give it a good rating.
    • 5/5
      I have a fascination with King Richard III. As many people know, his skeleton was recently found (near a parking garage) and, as a result, we are able to know more today about what this famous man looked like - in addition to knowing more about his deeds. Richard III was the monarch connected with the two princes, if you have heard that story. He's also known as the "Evil Crouchback," due to his having scoliosis, we have since learned. Richard III was the last monarch before the uniting of the York and Lancaster Houses - two houses who had been at war for 100 years in the War of the Roses. But Elizabeth of York is clearly not about Richard III - it's about Elizabeth. However, Weir understands that in order to fully understand Elizabeth we have to understand how she grew up, what influenced her, and most importantly, what the evidence has indicated about the person she was.Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 11, 2013.
    • 3/5
      Over the years I've read most of Weirs work with the [Six Wives of Henry VIII], [the Children of Henry VIII] and [The Princes In The Tower] being my favorites. I'm a big fan of Weirs non-fiction and fiction. It could be me, but Weirs non-fiction seems to be getting dryer while her fictional works seem to be getting better. Why is that?I would expect her non-fiction to read more like a novel (I've been hoping) but it doesn't.Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World is pretty much Weirs standard fair in non-fiction these days, interesting but, to repeat myself, drier than it used to be. I'm also finding it more difficult to keep track of characters in her latest histories though maybe the two go hand in hand as I age. Of course Elizabeth never set the world on fire so maybe it's partially the subject matter. Don't let my 3 stars fool you though, Weirs research is still impeccable, no one writes about the women of British history as well and I'm still a fan.
    • 3/5
      The War of the Roses - House of York with its white rose and the House of Lancaster with its red rose - was brought to an end when Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York. Elizabeth was the oldest daughter of Edward IV of York while Henry Tudor was the only son of Margaret Beaufort of Lancaster.This book told the story of Elizabeth's life starting as the daughter of the king and following her through her marriage to Henry Tudor and her life as the mother of the future of the British monarchy.I was really looking forward to reading about Elizabeth's life and I did get some of what I was expecting but the writing was inundated with list after list of expenses, people, places so much so that he narrative was frequently disrupted.Disappointing, so I can't recommend it.
    • 5/5
      The author makes the Elizabeth of York come alive and also makes you aware just how generous she was which at times left her strapped for cash. The descriptions of the clothing, tapestries, and remodeling that was done on the palaces help bring the world she lived in to life as well. I wasn't aware that Henry VII had been as lenient as he was with Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck though I did know that he kept a very close eye on those with actual Plantagenent blood in their veins and that Warwick had to be disposed of before the Arthur, Prince of Wales and Katharine of Aragon were wed. A fascinating look at a woman who was raised in palaces, Sanctuary, and imprisoned by her uncle, Richard III and was the most successful queen of the Tudor dynasty.
    • 4/5
      If you are interested in history and want to learn the world in which Elizabeth of York lived, then this is definitely a book for you. However, if you are a fan of historical fiction novels such as those written by Sharon Kay Penman , chances are you will not like it simply because this book does not have the well developed story line, instead the author has chosen to focus on the facts of the period. Elizabeth of York is what I call scholarly writing and Alison Weir has provided everything you could ever want to know about Elizabeth of York and the people surrounding her. The details in this work are magnificent and if you truly are interested in history, you will love it. The writing is not only easily followed, but it is clear Weir has spent many hours researching Elizabeth of York and provides copious sources for her work. Alison Weir manages to speak of historical facts without putting the reader to sleep.
    • 5/5
      Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors of both historical fiction and nonfiction so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review Elizabeth of York. I just love Weir's writing style that brings to life the world that she is describing. Weir does a great job at giving the reader the whole picture of the major people and events surrounding Elizabeth of York. While the main focus is on Elizabeth, it is Weir's ability to give the reader the whole picture that really brings this period into focus. I also really enjoyed the little details like describing the food, everyday things that happened, and even the costs to make this period more relatable to the reader giving them a more detailed picture of how these people lived. Elizabeth of York was a fascinating woman, and Weir does an amazing job at showing why she such a notable queen. Overall this book was an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend to any history fan of the Tudors and Elizabeth in particular and any fan of historical fiction about Elizabeth because this book provides a very detailed background on her. Received a copy of Elizabeth of York through Net Galley in exchange for a review
    • 5/5
      An amazing biography of the mother of Henry VIII, Elizabeth of York. This lady had an even better claim to the throne than her husband, Henry VII. Following the death of her uncle, Richard III, Henry VII married her and secured his position as King. Elizabeth and Henry were a devoted couple. It's heartbreaking to read of the death of their son, Arthur, and the effect it had on the couple. After his death, the King sent for Elizabeth so that they could grieve together.Alison Weir has written an absolutely astounding biography. It was fascinating. In this book we follow Elizabeth from her life as a King's daughter, King's niece, and King's wife. It's highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      I found this book very interesting, but somewhat hard to get though because it gets bogged down with the account records of how much was spent on things. I understand that it is a way to document things that were going on though. I did not know anything about Henry VII or Elizabeth of York. I had some background on her mother and father and I've read much about her son. This book helped to fill that time period in. It wasn't only about Elizabeth as there seems to not be much that survived in her own hand. Much of the book is speculation about her based on documentation of others. It also starts with her birth and goes into pretty good detail of that time with Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV. Because there isn't a lot of documentation about Elizabeth herself the book goes into detail about what was happening around her and to the people around her. Since I knew nothing about the period it was fine with me since it was a bit broad in scope. If I had been looking for a book just about Elizabeth of York I would have been disappointed.
    • 4/5
      Elizabeth of York is well written and researched extensively, but despite all of the effort there is still much that is unknown about this fine woman. The book leaves much to conjecture and "guessing" what her thoughts and feelings may have been... There remains an elusive Elizabeth that we will never really know, but Ms Weir's book does give insight into the times Elizabeth lived in . It is a good read
    • 5/5
      Alison Weir does her usual splendid job in depicting the life and times of Elizabeth of York, the princess who married Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Using historical documents and meticulous research, Weir paints an extraordinary portrait of this remarkable woman, who by rights ought to have ruled England herself, instead of simply marrying the victor at Bosworth Field. A scholarly book to be sure, but one which flows and reads as if it were a novel.
    • 4/5
      I have read nearly all of Alison Weir's non fiction books & find them very readable, not dry or tedious, like so many biographies can be.The problem with Elizabeth of York is there is so little source material about her so a good chunk of the book is more 'Her World' than Her. There is a good deal of speculation & guess work in this one & I'm not convinced by her arguments of some things. Elizabeth's relationships with her husband and mother in law are shrouded in mystery due to a total lack of information about them. Just bits of letters and mentions in accounts. Drawing specific conclusions about interpersonal relationships based on payment of monies in account books is a difficult thing and I'm dubious about some of Weir's. I think she is kind of biased & comes to the conclusion she wants while making it seem it actually is proven, when it isn't. Despite her efforts I still feel Elizabeth of York was a shadowy figure kept in the background by her husband & MIL who both knew she had a better claim to the throne than he did.But overall I enjoyed it. It was long & detailed but interesting. Certainly not a casual read but one worth it to people interested in the Tudors
    • 3/5
      As a rule, I only read biographies of British Queens named Anne, Elizabeth, Jane or Catherine. I will make an exception to this rule only if the Queen has a close relative named Henry, Edward, Richard or John. I prefer them to be heavily conjectured and based on scanty source material. I particularly like when the author jumps around in time inexplicably to make the story seem more compelling. Not required but certainly always appreciated is the fun "how much would this be worth now?" game where tiny sums of money are shown to actually be vast fortunes in today's money. Oh, if only I were a medieval farrier! Alison Weir's latest book Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World hits all my requirements and then some. Her tale, while readable, is a bit on the long side. I liked the descriptions of her world and the pageantry that surrounded her but felt the book was lacking in context about money and women's roles. Perhaps a better title would have been "The World of Elizabeth of York" thereby allowing a freer scope of focus. There are so many interesting things happening at this time in history and sometimes the text felt forced, as if the author had to strain to make a connection to Elizabeth of York. In summary, I enjoyed learning more about this often overlooked historical figure and felt that Alison Weir portrayed her fairly but with a lot of conjecture. Long but readable and a good addition to any serious collection of works on the British Monarchy or the Tudors specifically.
    • 3/5
      I've read all of Alison Weir's non-fiction and generally really enjoyed her books. Although "Elizabeth of York" was interesting, I found it to be one of her weaker books.Like her book on Katherine de Swynford, "Elizabeth of York" suffers from a lack of source material to base the story on. "Elizabeth of York" is not so much a biography as a story of the time that Elizabeth lived in. There was much more conjecture in his book than in her previous books. Or rather, her efforts to back up conjectures weren't as strong. Some of the conclusions she jumped too were puzzling in this one -- the explanations weren't backed up as well as in prior books.On the good side, the book, while heavy, is really readable and very interesting. I wish Weir would return to writing about members of the monarchy that can be better documented... when she has plenty of source material her writing really shines.
    • 4/5
      Previous I had read Weir's works of fiction, so this book was my first foray into the author's nonfiction works. It feels very well researched and organized. Definitely not a casual read.
    • 3/5
      First and foremost I commend Alison Weir for her ability to draw in Tudor historical enthusiasts by giving them a starting point to begin exploring their interest in Henry VIII, the Plantagenet princes in the Tower of London and further back to figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine. Weir's body of work is extensive as has been her fan base. Her treatment of Elizabeth of York, I am sure, will be well received by historical fans who are being introduced to her here via Weir.As other reviewers here have stated, Elizabeth of York is a person of great importance in English and monarchical history. Here is a woman who not only married a Tudor king but was the niece, daughter, (theoretically) sister and granddaughter of English kings. More importantly, she is the sole figure to, legitimately, link the houses of York and Tudor and to experience life intimately under both houses.Weir's work is great in setting a basis of knowledge for those new to English history or those who have learned or read about Elizabeth of York as a character in the periphery as she is so often relegated. Weir provides maps and family trees that are helpful to understanding both the gist of the War of Roses and its conclusion as well as defining the foundation (or lack thereof) on which the House of Tudor was founded. Hint: the foundation existed primarily of dubious ties to royal blood AND the sole personhood of Elizabeth of York and her future ability to procreate.I think other reviewers have said this and it bears repeating -- if you are looking for something new about Elizabeth of York to supplement a book you have perhaps already read about her or are looking to expound on your knowledge this book would more than likely not be the next step in your journey to know more. That being said, to my knowledge, Weir has never made pretenses about her work providing anything more than an introduction so there's no bait and switch here or dishonesty of any sort. Weir has been wildly successful and has established a kind of presentation of historical figures that suits her well and obviously works for her many readers.
    • 3/5
      I received this book from the Early Reviewers program. Elizabeth was the daughter, niece, wife, mother, and grandmother of kings and queens, and had a solid claim to have ruled in her own right in more enlightened times, and is an ancestor of today's British royal family. Ms. Weir pieces together what's known of Elizabeth's life using a variety of primary sources. However, given the inevitable holes in the documentation of the life of even a woman as important as Elizabeth from the early Tudor period, she is also forced to theorize about how Elizabeth may have felt and what drove her behaviors. Ms. Weir is an expert on the Tudors, and provides a solid book about Elizabeth and her world, with extensive appendices as well. That said, I found the book slow in stretches, and found the tendency to jump around in time frustrating. I found the information about her relationship with her husband, Henry VII, most interesting. I would love to see a novel on Elizabeth's life from Ms. Weir.
    • 5/5
      After not receiving this the first time I won this from librarything I was very excited to win it again and actually recieve it. I have nothing but praise for Allison Weir and her books. Some historians may disagree with some of the details that she has written but in the main I think she does a really good job of bringing Elizabeth of York alive to her readers.Its not a read for beginners. She goes in to a lot of detail and its obvious she has done a lot of research. I really enjoy her style of writing as she makes history come alive and paints a vivid picture of her life using words. Very recommended to all those interested in all things Tudor. One of Allison's best books