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Bezig met laden... Thomas Cromwell: The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister (2007)door Robert Hutchinson
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. A well paced and generally well written biography, though the author has a tendency to write in a slightly sensationalist style on occasion. I think one of the most significant features about Cromwell was that he was one of the first (along with Wolsey) to rise to high office from humble origins. It is a pity that that fact means we know so very little about his early life, which leaves the book feelign a little inevitably unbalanced in the extent of its coverage. Intriguing, easy to read account of the career of Thomas Cromwell, notorious chief minister to Henry VIII. Robert Hutchinson sets out the main events of Cromwell's life and times without going into much detail. This book is very much a once over lightly account, for instance there is only the bare bones on Cromwell's role in the downfall of Anne Boleyn, an event he played a major part in. Hutchinson does bring to life the Tudor court in all its madness and corruption, illustrating how easy it was to fall foul of the king and meet a gruesome end. Hutchinson plainly does not like his subject, nor Henry VIII, very much. He does not have much good to say about either. However, he does write in an engaging style and this book would be a good starting point for anyone interested in Henry VIII's world. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
The rise and fall of Henry's notorious minister - the most corrupt Chancellor in English history The son of a brewer, Cromwell rose from obscurity to become Earl of Essex, Vice-Regent and High Chamberlain of England, Keep of the Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He maneuvered his way to the top by intrigue, bribery and sheer force of personality in a court dominated by the malevolent King Henry. Cromwell pursued the interests of the king with single-minded energy and little subtlety. Tasked with engineering the judicial murder of Anne Boleyn when she had worn out her welcome in the royal chamber, he tortured her servants and relations, then organised a 'show trial' of Stalinist efficiency. He orchestrated the 'greatest act of privatisation in English history': the seizure of the monasteries. Their enormous wealth was used to cement the loyalty of the English nobility, and to enrich the crown. Cromwell made himself a fortune too, soliciting colossal bribes and binding the noble families to him with easy loans. He came home from court literally weighed down with gold. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)942.052092History and Geography Europe England and Wales England 1485-1603, Tudors Henry VIII 1509-47LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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I did however spend much time slogging through chapters with endless descriptions of minutae which felt unnecessary if the goal is to paint a general picture of Cromwell's life. Notably, chapter 6. Whilst I appreciate the presentation of evidence and the clear chronology for how Hutchinson formulated his narrative, I found myself muttering 'get on with it' when presented with the exact amount that Cromwell spent buying one of his buddies a nice coat. Perhaps he could have invited the reader to do their own research if they needed the specifics?
That being said, as an introductory whistle stop tour into Cromwell's rise and downfall, I would recommend looking no further. ( )