Steven Veerapen Knihy

Focusing on Anna of Denmark's historical significance, this study re-evaluates her portrayal as a frivolous figure. It positions her within the tumultuous legacies of previous consorts, highlighting her political influence and the complexities of her role in a male-dominated society. By exploring her life beyond stereotypes, the work aims to shed light on her contributions and the broader context of queenship in the sixteenth century, challenging the notion of her being a minor player in history.

Spring, 1523. The King's chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, prepares to open Parliament at Blackfriars, but all is not well in Wolsey's household. A visiting critic of the Cardinal is found brutally slain whilst awaiting an audience at Richmond Palace. Anthony Blanke, trumpeter and groom, is once again called upon to unmask a murderer.

The Elizabethan era is characterized by a remarkable flourishing of the English language alongside a climate of severe repression. While celebrated figures like Shakespeare, Sidney, and Marlowe emerged, the period was also marked by harsh penalties for dissent, including execution and mutilation. Slander became a significant concern, with legal repercussions for those who dared to criticize the state or their neighbors, illustrating the tension between creativity and the oppressive societal norms of the time.

The biography reveals the true nature of James VI and I, countering misleading narratives from his political adversaries. It portrays him as a sociable and idealistic figure, deeply invested in the concept of family, yet struggling to align his personal aspirations with the harsh realities of his reign. The book offers a nuanced understanding of his character as seen by those around him.

In this new biography, the story of James VI and I is laid bare, and a welter of scurrilous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of James as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality.

At the court of Henry VIII a historian charged with proving the king's descent from King Arthur is found murdered, his body posed in a gruesome tableau. A reluctant Anthony Blanke is charged with investigating the crime, and his mission takes him through ancient monastic libraries and the back streets of London.