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6 Werken 698 Leden 21 Besprekingen

Werken van Chris Skidmore

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Officiële naam
Skidmore, Christopher James
Geboortedatum
1981-05-17
Geslacht
male
Nationaliteit
England
UK
Geboorteplaats
Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Opleiding
University of Oxford (Christ Church)
Beroepen
Member of Parliament (UK)
teacher
Organisaties
University of Bristol
Prijzen en onderscheidingen
Gibbs Prize
Korte biografie
Chris Skidmore was born in Bristol in 1981. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he was a St Cyre's and Dixon Scholar and President of the Oxford University Historical Society. He graduated in 2002 with a double first and was awarded a Gibbs Prize. Chris conducted postgraduate research at Oxford, where he was a convenor of a graduate seminar on the Tudor nobility. He was an adviser and researcher to Bristol's bid for European Capital City of Culture 2008 and was research assistant to Robert Lacey for his Great Tales of English History series. Chris has also written for the Western Daily Press and People Magazine. Chris currently teaches Early Modern History part-time at Bristol University. 

Chris' first book, Edward VI: The Lost King of England was published in 2007. His latest book, Death and The Virgin, an investigation into the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, is published in February 2010.

http://chrisskidmore.co.uk/about.html...

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This book is centered around the suspicious death of Amy Robsart Dudley, wife of Elizabeth I's infamous favorite and suspected lover Robert Dudley. Skidmore traces the marriage and intersecting lives of Amy, Robert, and Elizabeth in the years leading up to 1560. Amy remains a shadowy figure - only a few pieces of evidence exist to illuminate her life. But her death is explored in detail, and many theories are explored, evidence examined, and I finished this book impressed with the author's historical skills (tracing the connections of several jurors was particularly interesting.) Overall, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the death of Amy Robsart as well as the relationship between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley.… (meer)
 
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wagner.sarah35 | 6 andere besprekingen | Aug 7, 2022 |
When people think of the Tudors, they often remember only 4 monarchs - the two Henrys (VII and VIII) and the two princesses: Mary and Elizabeth. But sandwiched between them, there are two more reigns: the minority of Edward VI and the extremely short reign of Jane Grey.

Skidmore decides to tell the story of the third male Tudor monarch - the boy who was crowned king when he was only 9 and who did not live to see his 16th birthday. That history had often been told in the tale of the Seymour and Dudley families fight for supremacy, with the king almost as an afterthought. Skidmore disagrees - the king, albeit young, is an active participant in his own reign, especially in the later years. The history got even more muddled after his death, when Mary tried to push the country back to the old religion and the historical Edward and the mythical banner of the Reformation got mixed, losing the picture of who Edward was or what he really did (and did not do).

The introduction sets the tone of the book - it is attempting to show the king as a boy and the king as a real sovereign and not just as a hapless poppet for his protector(s). Skidmore uses Edward's diary, correspondence and other written artifact liberally, citing them often (and sometimes in length); he adds the notes of different ambassadors and his own court to try to paint a picture which is a bit different from we all know (if one knows anything at all).

He partially succeeds. The problem is not the author though - the problem is that it did not matter how bright and zealous Edward was, he was still a boy. Skidmore makes quite a few good arguments for his independence and own decisions (including the act that tries to change the succession in order to save the Reformation and the new faith) but no matter how you read and write that whole story, it is not dominated by Edward but by the men who were supposed to help him lead his country - his two maternal uncles and Dudley (and his whole private council).

And herein lies the story. History is written by the winners and the next monarch has all the reasons to try to convince the world that her brother was misguided and used and that he did not mean what had been done. One wonders how different history would have been if Edward had lived (or if Mary had lived longer). Elizabeth coming on the throne put the country back on the Reformation path but she did not need her brother's humanity either - she needed him as an icon and a banner. Truth mattered very little.

In a way, that's probably the best we can get in terms of biography for the boy who never grew up. Skidmore manages to add more details in some places and to show Edward as a boy and a human being - a very religious one, with his own views on how the church and the country have to be ran. How much that was influenced by everyone around him will never be known but I can see the argument that he did not just act for others (or others acted for him) and that what is known as the Edward VI reformation indeed happened because he wanted it, not just because his protectors did.

I am not sure how accessible this book will be if you are not familiar with those years. Just keeping track of who is who can be daunting (Skidmore starts using the new name as soon as it is bestowed). There is a useful mini-biographies section at the start of the book with the names of the main players (including all their name changes and what's not) but unless you pay attention and look for them, things can get confusing. And yet, it should work as an introduction to a monarch who tends to get forgotten. Although as is usual for the modern historians, Skidmore over-promises a bit - despite it showing Edward as his own man, the book is still the Seymour and Dudley show - and they still overshadow their young charge (and pretty much die for it - only the youngest ones survive to live another day under the last Tudor monarch).

I learned a few new things about Edward (although I knew the story of Jane's succession from Eric Ives' [Lady Jane Grey] and I think that this is the part where history had judged the whole mess wrongly - Dudley may have grasped the moment and possibly influenced Edward but Skidmore does show the story a bit differently, with Edward driving it (and Ives corroborates) and not just being used).

We will probably never know the complete history - too much time had passed, too many interests had muddled the story. And Skidmore serves the young king well - showing him both regal and still being a child; enjoying life and trying to be what everyone expected him to be.
… (meer)
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AnnieMod | 6 andere besprekingen | Jan 6, 2022 |
Edward VI is certainly an overlooked Tudor monarch, despite being the son Henry VIII so eagerly awaited. His brief reign was filled with intrigue and dominated by the noblemen who ruled in Edward's name. The shifts in power and schemes can be confusing, but Skidmore presents a very readable account of this troubled reign. Edward is an elusive personality, but more fleshed out as a person than in other biographies I've encountered. I really enjoyed this biography and I hope to find more information about some of the historical figures mentioned in this book. A good read and a fascinating history overall.… (meer)
 
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wagner.sarah35 | 6 andere besprekingen | Sep 16, 2020 |
Interesting read about a famed villain who has shot back to public awareness due to the unexpected discovery of his skeleton under a carpark. I would class this as a generally sympathetic look at Richard's life, certainly his good qualities (bravery, military skill and realpolitik) are noted, as are his unwavering focus on power, his occasional treachery and his poor treatment of the women in his life. However, the author unfortunately falls down on the one question that everyone wants answered - did he or did he not kill his nephews? No opinion is really offered, the closest the author comes is to say that everyone under-estimated how far Richard would go to safeguard his power, and thats it. I have to say that on this basis, since this is the key question, the book is a failure, but it is still a very interesting read.… (meer)
 
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drmaf | 2 andere besprekingen | Aug 5, 2020 |

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Statistieken

Werken
6
Leden
698
Populariteit
#36,254
Waardering
½ 3.6
Besprekingen
21
ISBNs
31

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