Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors

Description

Richard III and Henry Tudor's legendary battle: one that changed the course of English history. On the morning of 22 August 1485, in fields several miles from Bosworth, two armies faced each other, ready for battle. The might of Richard III's army was pitted against the inferior forces of the upstart pretender to the crown, Henry Tudor, a 28-year-old Welshman who had just arrived back on British soil after 14 years in exile. Yet this was to be a fight to the death - only one man could survive; only one could claim the throne. It would become one of the most legendary battles in English history: the only successful invasion since Hastings, it was the last time a king died on the battlefield. But BOSWORTH is much more than the account of the dramatic events of that fateful day in August. It is a tale of brutal feuds and deadly civil wars, and the remarkable rise of the Tudor family from obscure Welsh gentry to the throne of England - a story that began 60 years earlier with Owen Tudor's affair with Henry V's widow, Katherine of Valois. Drawing on eyewitness reports, newly discovered manuscripts and the latest archaeological evidence, Chris Skidmore vividly recreates this battle-scarred world in an epic saga of treachery and ruthlessness, death and deception and the birth of the Tudor dynasty.

Chris Skidmore is the author of four books on medieval and Tudor history: RICHARD III, BOSWORTH, EDWARD VI and DEATH AND THE VIRGIN. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He is also the Member of Parliament for Kingswood and in December 2018 was appointed Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. www.chrisskidmore.co.uk @bosworthbattle

Skidmore leaves his reader convinced that Edward's reign is crucial in English history ... he writes with clarity and verve One of our brightest young historians Skidmore weaves the densely packed dramas of his subject's reign into a thoroughly absorbing narrative - SUNDAY TIMES Fresh and lively style ... Skidmore's evident literary flair is never allowed to get in the way of sound historical judgements - TLS Skidmore writes brilliantly and his research is impeccable - SUNDAY TIMES The books of Skidmore ... should be required reading for everyone who gets their history from television - HISTORY TODAY