Book picks similar to
The King's Grey Mare by Rosemary Hawley Jarman
historical-fiction
fiction
historical
wars-of-the-roses
Thwarted Queen (Thwarted Queen Book 3)
Cynthia Sally Haggard - 2011
The tale of Richard of York’s political career, and its tragic impact upon his wife Cecylee, will intrigue all who love political novels. It is 1445, and Cecylee is turning thirty. She and Richard are waiting for the new Queen of England to arrive from Paris. Everyone remarks on how close the Yorks are. Theirs seems a successful marriage, for Cecylee is constantly at her husband’s side, providing him with political counsel as well as comfort. But matters are not as happy as they seem. Richard is devastated by her affair, but doesn’t lock her up. Instead, he keeps her firmly by his side and takes revenge by marrying their eldest daughter Nan off when she is only seven. This decision, done only for political gain, costs Cecylee her happiness. Set during the end of the Hundred Years War and the beginning of the Wars of the Roses we see Richard inherit the political mantle of his mentor Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and become the people’s champion. The rambunctious Londoners are unhappy that their country has become mired in misrule due to the ineptitude of a King prone to fits of madness. Nor are they better pleased by the attempts of the King’s French wife to maneuver herself into power, especially as she was responsible for England’s losses in France. But can Richard and Cecylee prevail? Everywhere, their enemies lurk in the shadows. For more about Thwarted Queen, please visit: http://spunstories.com/2014/09/04/rem... This book is filled with many voices, not least those of the Londoners, who forged their political destiny by engaging in public debate with the powerful aristocrats of the time. By their courageous acts, these fifteenth-century Londoners set the stage for American Democracy.
The White Queen of Middleham
Lesley J. Nickell - 1978
As she moves abruptly from castle to castle, from England to France, with Warwick’s changing fortunes in the turbulent Wars of the Roses, Anne is a pawn in the dangerous games of political intrigue that she struggles to understand. The third son of the ambitious Duke of York, later King Richard III, is a hero in the eyes of the shy and bewildered Anne, and the key to her understanding of the great events happening around her. Their love, almost wrecked by the feud of York and Lancaster, culminates in great happiness and the last Plantagenet reign in England. The White Queen of Middleham is the first book in the Sprigs of Broom series, following the lives of Yorkist Plantagenet off-spring including "The Princes in the Tower" and Perkin Warbeck.
Mistress to the Crown
Isolde Martyn - 2013
The handsome stranger presented not only the chance to partake in the dance of desire, but legal counsel to annul her 12-year marriage. She did not, however, foresee her introduction to the King of England, nor her future at his side…and in his bed. From this unlikely alliance, Elizabeth is granted severance from Shore, and finds herself flourishing in the radiance of the King’s admiration. But she soon finds that her new position comes at a terrible price — her family has shunned her, the people of London have labelled her a harlot and the Queen’s family want her to burn in Hell. So long as King Edward and Lord Hastings stay close, Elizabeth is safe. However, her beloved Ned falls ill and Lord Hastings falls out of favour.Can Elizabeth's wiles keep her out of trouble? Or will they lead her to further trouble...and the hangman's noose?
Virgin Widow
Anne O'Brien - 2010
As a child Anne falls in love with the ambitious, proud Richard of Gloucester, third son of the House of York. But when her father is branded a traitor, her family must flee to exile in France. As Anne matures into a beautiful, poised woman, skillfully navigating the treacherous royal court of Margaret of Anjou, she secretly longs for Richard, who has become a great man under his brother's rule. But as their families scheme for power, Anne must protect her heart from betrayals on both sides-and from the man she has always loved, and cannot bring herself to trust.
The Stolen Crown: The Secret Marriage that Forever Changed the Fate of England
Susan Higginbotham - 2010
A happy girl of modest means, Kate hardly expected to become a maker of kings. But when her sister impulsively marries King Edward IV in secret, Katherine's life is no longer hers to control...
Fortune's Wheel
Rhoda Edwards - 1978
As Duke of Gloucester he is torn between loyalty to his brothers, King Edward IV, and gratitude to the man who raised him, the Earl of Warwick, whose daughter Anne Neville captures his heart. This love-slowly at first and then totally and passionately-overcomes the awesome political forces of the Plantagenet King Henry VI and the machinations of the King of France, Louis XI.In Fortune's Wheel Rhoda Edwards' novelistic skill is once again matched by her extensive knowledge of English history. These figures of a courtly yet brutal past relive the fortunes of their lives in moving and sympathetic detail. Ultimately it is a testament to the power of a young man's love against all adversity.
Royal Mistress
Anne Easter Smith - 2013
When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore—but her heart belongs to another. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane Shore from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain and friend, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows his King will find her irresistible.Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as that of Jane Shore and Will Hastings, hang in the balance.This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for 500 years, and told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.
A Song of Sixpence: The Story of Elizabeth of York and Perkin Warbeck
Judith Arnopp - 2015
Years later when he reappears to take back his throne, his sister Elizabeth, now Queen to the invading King, Henry Tudor, is torn between family loyalty and duty.As the final struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster is played out, Elizabeth is torn by conflicting loyalty, terror and unexpected love. Will Elizabeth support the man claiming to be her brother, or will she choose the king?Set at the court of Henry VII A Song of Sixpence offers a new perspective on the early years of Tudor rule. Elizabeth of York, often viewed as a meek and uninspiring queen, emerges as a resilient woman whose strengths lay in endurance rather than resistance.
I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince
Rosanne E. Lortz - 2009
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Hundred Years' War, I Serve chronicles the story of Sir John Potenhale. A young Englishman of lowly birth, Potenhale wins his way to knighthood on the fields of France. He enters the service of Edward, the Black Prince of Wales, and immerses himself in a stormy world of war, politics, and romantic intrigue. While campaigning in France, Potenhale develops an interest in Margery, a spirited lady-in-waiting with a close-kept secret. He soon learns that Sir Thomas Holland, a crass and calculating baron, holds the key to unlock Margery's mystery and possesses the power to overturn all of his hopes. When the Black Death strikes Europe, however, Potenhale realizes that the fiercest enemy does not always appear in human form. Seeing the pestilence as a punishment for the sins of his generation, he questions his calling as a knight and considers entering the cloister. Margery or the monastery? Torn between losing his soul and losing the love of his life, he finds friendship with a French knight who might--just possibly--help him save both.
The Seventh Son
Reay Tannahill - 2001
Here, brought vividly to life in this most moving novel, is a man who inspired loyalty and hatred in almost equal measure, until at last the implacable enmity of one woman brought about his downfall.
The Goldsmith's Wife
Jean Plaidy - 1952
She is well-educated and intelligent, and when she catches the eye of a wealthy goldsmith her father sees in her an opportunity for an advantageous marriage. But the marriage is soon annulled and she becomes the favourite mistress of Edward IV.Her compassion for London's poor brings her widespread popularity, and she uses her favour with the king to beg forgiveness for those who have angered him. When Edward suddenly dies, she seduces other men, namely Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset and William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings.
But when Hastings loses the new King's favour she is punished and imprisoned in Ludgate prison. There, away from the protection of her loves, she can only face the horrors of those she once protected. And pray for salvation.
The Adventures of Alianore Audley
Brian Wainwright - 2005
and if you believe that, you'll believe anything. But she is a spy in Edward IV's intelligence service, and the author of a chronicle that casts - well, a new light, let's say, on the times of the Yorkist kings. History will never be the same after Alianore. Nor will most other novels. Brian Wainwright's debut novel The Adventures of Alianore Audley is a brilliantly funny, subversive spoof.
Son of York
Amy Licence - 2017
Richard of York, the most powerful magnate in the land, steps in to manage affairs whilst Henry is unwell. Many people prefer York’s rule, which does not please the queen. The country begins to divide and plots start to hatch. York himself is directly descended from the royal family line, in fact, a little more directly than Henry but he puts this fact aside and strives only to serve the king. This, however, becomes increasingly difficult due to the acts of the queen, who, now feeling threatened by York, calls her men to get rid of him. The York family is strong and the two eldest sons, Edward and Edmund are approaching manhood. Edward, bold and eager, is keen to leave his childhood behind and enter the world of men, of politics, combat and love. Edmund, the younger brother is more introspective and struggles to project his public image. Both boys look to York as their mentor, a match for any king; and Richard is proud of them both. But with sons comes the question of inheritance. Who will succeed Henry’s throne? His own son, the young Prince Edward, or the capable York and his heirs? This historical window into the past lifts figures from the history books and gives the personality and purpose behind their actions. The story bears witness to the extremes of the human condition, from loving tenderness in court to vengeful violence on the battlefield.
The King's Daughter. A Novel of the First Tudor Queen (Rose of York)
Sandra Worth - 2008
But upon the rise of Richard of Gloucester, Elizabeth's family experiences one devastation after another: her late father is exposed as a bigamist, she and her siblings are branded bastards, and her brothers are taken into the new king's custody, then reportedly killed.But one fateful night leads Elizabeth to question her prejudices. Through the eyes of Richard's ailing queen she sees a man worthy of respect and undying adoration. His dedication to his people inspires a forbidden love and ultimately gives her the courage to accept her destiny, marry Henry Tudor, and become Queen. While her soul may secretly belong to another, her heart belongs to England?
Loyalty
Matthew Lewis - 2012
Destined to be king. Doomed to be a villain. What matters? Loyalty matters. Loyalty Binds Me.Artist Hans Holbein receives a summons to the home of Sir Thomas More for the commission of his lifetime, but he will leave with a secret that puts his very life at risk. What he will learn is the truth about the life of King Richard III, from his return from exile with his brother, King Edward IV, through his rise to become the king's most powerful subject. From his flourishing personal life to his seizure of the throne. The unfashionable truth about the man the Tudor dynasty has worked tirelessly to villify will be as nothing compared to the reason for it, as Holbein will discover. He is about to be asked to hide the greatest secret in England. A secret that could tear the fragile Tudor regime apart at its seams.Show More Show Less