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One woman holds the key to England's most glorious empire in this intimate retelling of the launch of the Tudor dynasty -- A magnificent portrait of Elizabeth of York, set against the dramatic background of fifteenth century England. Elizabeth, the only living descendant of Edward IV, has the most valuable possession in all of Englanda legitim... more »ate claim to the crown. Two princes battle to win Britain's most rightful heiress for a bride and her kingdom for his own. On one side is her uncle Richard, the last Plantagenet King, whom she fears is the murderer of her two brothers, the would-be kings. On the other side is Henry Tudor, the exiled knight. Can he save her from a horrifying marriage to a cut-throat soldier?
Thrust into the intrigue and drama of the War of the Roses, Elizabeth has a country within her graspif she can find the strength to unite a kingdom torn apart by a thirst for power. A richly drawn tale of the woman who launched one of the most dramatic dynasties England has ever seen, The Tudor Rose is a vibrant, imaginative look at the power of a queen.
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Elizabeth of York has long been the shadow queen. Queen in her own right, she became the consort of Henry VII, and was kept in the background, so that people would not view Henry marrying her as gaining his crown through his wife. Elizabeth as the oldest daughter of Edward IV, was brought up in wealth and oppulance. Her world revolved around gaiety and laughter, until her father died, her brothers disappeared and her uncle became king Richard III. After the death of his wife, it looked that Richard would marry his niece, but it was not well received.
In this book we see the life of Elizabeth in a different light. Here she desires the warmth of her husband, but doesn't get it, has a warmer relationship with her mother in law than what truly there would have been, and of course, held the love of her children.
I loved the read, as you get the woman, and not the picture. We see her as she could have been, not the slight mention of her name from time to time, but the actual warm woman that she was. She was deeply caring, giving up things she wanted to make sure those around her had what they needed.
Featured Series
7 primary booksShadows of the Crown is a 7-book series with 7 primary works first released in 1947 with contributions by Margaret Campbell Barnes.