Thomas Cromwell: The Rise And Fall Of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister
(Paperback)
Publishing Details
Thomas Cromwell: The Rise And Fall Of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister
By (Author) Robert Hutchinson
Orion Publishing Co
Weidenfeld & Nicolson
1st April 2008
21st February 2008
United Kingdom
Classifications
General
Non Fiction
European history
942.052092
Physical Properties
Paperback
368
Width 134mm, Height 196mm, Spine 24mm
257g
Description
Robert Hutchinson investigates the rise and fall of Henry VIII's most notorious minister. 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 manoeuvred 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 no 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 organized 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.Reviews
"This brillaint biography gives a vivid and utterly chilling account of this fascinating but deadly man" Good Book Guide
Author Bio
Robert Hutchinson was defence correspondent for the Press Association 1976-83 before moving to Jane's Information Group to launch JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY. He is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a contributing author to THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE REFORMATION.
