Tudor Executions: From Nobility To The Block by Helene Harrison.....I just love reading about the Tudors but I would not of liked to live in that time, it's so scary......This book was a very interesting read, I loved the way each chapter was dedicated to a different historical figure, who faced execution at the hands of the Tudors. Some of these people I have never heard of, but was great to learn about new people within this era.
Tudor Executions was very detailed throughout and it was excellent.

WoW Dreams do come True....Thank you NetGalley and especially Pen & Sword History for my ARC.

I did like this but i found there was a bit of mismatch in tone as there were some sections that seemed over developed and others that could have been longer. The range in historical figures was interesting and i liked the people they picked from. I think that this is a good publisher for historical titles and i always find a title by them that suits my taste!

I always enjoy anything about the tudor period. Executions included. It was such a bloody, violent time in history and I'm not sure it would be nearly as notorious without the gore.

TREASON!

For those of you that march to the drum beat of ‘“Eat the Rich” this book is for you.

Unlike the French Revolution where the common man rose up to strike down the royalty. In England during the Tudor reign of the 16th Century the King or Queen killed their own.

In this book we witness what it meant to be accused of treason against the crown. It didn’t matter who you were or how powerful your family was you could get your head chopped off. A bloody time to be rich and powerful.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.com. I was given an ebook freely by NetGalley and the book’s publisher in return for a voluntary and honest review.

The Tudor dynasty was notorious for its executions, particularly of the nobility. This book explores the history of treason during the Tudor era, examining how and why nobles like Anne Boleyn and the Earl of Essex fell victim to this charge. Through detailed accounts of individual cases, it reveals the shifting definition of treason and its devastating impact on the English aristocracy.

This book is interesting, informative, and easy to read. While there are no real surprises for Tudor fans, the book provides an interesting perspective on treason and succession concerns during the era.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Each chapter is dedicated to a different historical figure, some more well known than others, who faced execution at the hands of the Tudors. The author does a terrific job in each chapter giving the reader background behind the figure being discussed and how they came to be on the Tudors' badside. However, this caused for a bit of repetition because alot of the people featured in this book overlap with eachother. But that is something that cannot really be avoided with this type of book and it did not lessen my enjoyment of it in anyway.

We start with the executions ordered by Henry VII, and end with Elizabeth I. The most well-known executions, such as that of Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, both wives of the infamous Henry VIII are of course included. As well as that of Mary, Queen of Scots. The botched execution of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, who was a woman in her 70s, was a chapter that stood out to me.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read. I would recommend it to all Tudor enthusiasts, especially those who may not have much prior knowledge about the background of the figures discussed in this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-Arc!

I enjoyed Helene’s previous book very much, so I was excited to read this one. Everyone is fascinated by the Tudor monarch’s predisposition towards execution, but the title of this book implies such a broad approach to the topic that I was intrigued to find out how Helene approached the subject matter and dealt with the number people involved.

The answer is she does so very well. The book opens with the execution of Edward Plantagenet, who had to die to secure Henry VII’s position and allow him to take his place on the international stage, and ends with the death of Robert Devereaux, the frankly idiotic Earl of Essex. As such it covers the reigns of all the Tudor monarchs.

The author here systematically and clearly looks at the reasons behind the executions and then the events which took place. Such consistent violence could have been difficult to read but the fact that Helene here focuses on the facts rather than the emotion allows for a certain dissociation and for the historical reality to shine through.

The author has a clear, consistent style and this book is obviously very well researched. I learnt some interesting facts in particular about the execution of Margaret Pole, which I found to be the most hideous of all the related events.

One thing which the author makes clear is just how interrelated the monarch was with the nobles they executed. These were not cold or distant acts; they were in most cases very personal. Helene is careful not to apportion blame though and makes clear that there was no way to separate the personal monarch from the political in Tudor England.

What emerges therefore is a detailed and well-balanced book, perfect for anyone wanting to learn the reality behind the most high-profile Tudor executions.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword Publishing for a copy of this book.

Brief Summary: The Tudor reign was a bloody time in English history. It saw countless executions for rebellion and religion. Two Queen Consorts and a Queen Regnant of 13 days were all executed at the Tower. By the conclusion of the dynasty, there were no Dukes left in England. Harrison explores these notable Tudor Nobility detailing their lives and downfalls from 1485 to 1603.

Thoughts: This a book that you pick up because the subject sounds interesting and it fosters the reader's interest in the subject, fostering a desire to learn more. Many of the individuals that Harrison covers in this book are well-known Tudor figures (e.g., Anne Boleyn, Kathryn Howard, Jane Boleyn) and a few lesser-known (e.g., Henry Howard). However, the way that Harrison outlines these individuals' lives and the events that led to their executions is written in such a way that it piques your interest in these individuals. I never thought I would be Googling books on Henry Howard or Thomas Howard but the chapters on them made me interested to learn more.

I think that the shining moment of the book is how much Harrison highlights the Howard family. It is not unusual for the noble houses to be connected during this period (and in other periods as well), but the Howards seemed to have a disproportionately high appearance rate in treason cases. Throughout the book, Harrison draws connections between members of the Howard family and perfectly highlights how they are a cautionary tale of how having too much ambition and royal connections can lead to devastating consequences.

I do wish that Harrison had not written in such a repetitive way throughout the book. I do understand that each chapter was meant to be a stand alone article. Nevertheless, the repetition within the chapters was a little grating at times as it felt at times that paragraphs were repeating themselves.

This is a thought-provoking read for any Tudor lover. It has really interesting information specific to the executions of nobility, including their scaffold speeches. Lovers of Tudor history will enjoy this book and it will likely set them on the path of learning about notable figures outside the royal family. I would recommend this book.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Death, Grief, Infertility, Violence, War, Mental illness, Murder, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death of a parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt
This book discusses executions. Although not overly graphic it does detail a few that were not well done (i.e., took more than one blow) and there is a mention of a traitor's death (hanging, drawing, and quartering).

At the beginning of the Tudor period, both corporal and capital punishment were widely used among both the nobility and common people.However, it can be noted that there was a vast difference between the types of crimes subjected to each class and the accompanying consequences.For e.g., common people were usually hanged, whereas the wealthy were beheaded.Victims of the Tudor monarchs, who were either executed by them or killed in their name, fell into 3 principal categories-Heresy, Treason and Denial of Royal Supremacy as Head of the English Church, and also Rebellion,Blasphemy,Murder,Sedition and Spying.While there were many crimes to be found guilty of and many consequences to fear, England didn't have a police force then.Therefore, other means were required to enforce the law. A common thought throughout Tudor history was that justice and sovereignty moved from the top down. All power and authority sprang from the divine, who worked through an anointed monarch. This divine authority was then filtered through to the nobility, who were put in charge of portions of the country. Those in favour of the monarch were usually rewarded greatly; yet, as it was a prevalent theme in Tudor history, favour was fleeting and depended largely on the monarch.Many of the crimes committed by the noble classes were linked to political aims and the pursuit of power.Unlike the common people, the nobles of the Tudor era simply possessed too much power and influence to be shown leniency.Public punishment became so popular in an era seeking entertainment that public humiliation, executions, and the like had a carnivalesque nature. It was an event not to be missed, and people would queue through the night to get the best place. It was also meant to instil fear in people and deter them.
Nobles who were executed:
Edward Plantagenet,17th Earl of Warwick
Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury
George Boleyn,Viscount Rochford,Anne Boleyn,Jane Boleyn,
Catherine Howard and her lovers Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpeper
Thomas Sudeley,1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley and Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Lady Jane Grey

Let's all just say it. King Henry went completely nuts after his jousting accident. TBI? Quite possibly. He became cruel, vindictive, paranoid, and obsessed with getting rid of anyone that made him upset. You can just see the progress of his madness and paranoia in the people he executes and their sentences. I mean, he BOILS SOMEONE TO DEATH. It's just baffling the things that the Tudors ordered these brutal executions for.

Treason is the crime of betraying one’s country or monarch by trying to overthrow the government or kill a sovereign. While many English dynasties dealt with treason in their ways, the most infamous were the Tudors and how they dealt with the nobility. By the end of 1572, there were no more dukes in England, until 1623 when George Villiers became the Duke of Buckingham. What was classified as treason during the Tudor dynasty and why did the members of the nobility have to die? Helene Harrison hopes to answer these questions in her latest book, “Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed Harrison’s previous book about Elizabethan Rebellions, so when I heard that she was writing a new book about Tudor executions, I knew I wanted to read it.

Harrison begins by giving her readers a quick overview of what treason meant during the time of the Tudors through the numerous Treason Acts, the significance of the Act of Attainders and scaffold speeches. She also explains that this book explores the lives and ultimate deaths of nine men and five women and that each chapter can be read separately as an essay. The 14 figures that are featured in this book are: Edward Plantagenet 17th Earl of Warwick, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, Queen Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn Viscount Rochford, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, Queen Katherine Howard, Jane Boleyn Viscountess Rochford, Henry Howard Earl of Surrey, Thomas Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset, John Dudley 1st Duke of Northumberland, Queen Jane Grey, Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk, and Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex.

With each case, Harrison explores their origins, how they gained fame, their ultimate falls from grace, and their fate on the execution block. The main focus of each chapter is to show what each monarch considered treasonous behavior, which varied from case to case. We see charges range from treason for having royal blood to being too ambitious, adultery to down right rebellious acts. The Tudors did not hold back when it came to noble women as two queens, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, were executed which was a first for England.

I think Harrison does a decent job in sharing the stories about these nobles and their unfortunate ends. Though there was no real surprises in this book, but the way Harrison presented the information was easy to follow. She shows that the closer one is to the throne, the more likely they would fall victim to power, greed and paranoia. If you are a Tudor nerd who is interested in the more gruesome side of the glamorous Tudor court, I would suggest you read, “Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block” by Helene Harrison.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! As an avid history lover, I was so invested in this book, especially since I didn’t know the full story of some of the people in this book. I have done my family tree, and I am related to some of the people in the book (e.g. Margaret Pole) and I loved learning more about their lives! I highly recommend this book to those who love history, especially Tudor history as it lets us see in people’s lives if they were high ranked in society!

Rather good insight into the Tudor paranoia over the usurpation ..... I mean succession. And as the reader continues on their grisly journey, they will discover how closely related to each other were both monarch and executed noble, as well as noble to noble.

Harrison begins with Edward Plantagenet, Ear of Warwick (ex. 1499) and completed her list with Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex (ex. 1601). All those contained within the pages of this tome are already known - so no new surprises. One definitely for the Tudor history buffs!

As so many of the Tudor nobility had the same family roots and were also inter-married there is a certain amount of repetition in this book as they are mainly considered individually although they were often 'involved' in dubious activities together.
However an informative read on an interesting subject.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Tudor Executions by Helene Harrison deep dives into the most famous executions that happened through the reigns of the members of England's most famous dynasty, the Tudors. Starting in the reign of Henry VII, and finishing with the final momentous execution of Elizabeth I, we cover the crimes of the accused .

Alot of these executions of were very well known even today. Anne Boleyn was the first queen of England to be executed. Whether her crimes were trumped up charges are up for debate (personally, I feel as though it was an excuse for Henry VIII to make room for another wife). In the reign of her daughter, Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen executes her cousin Mary Queen of Scots on charges of treason. Harrison also covers lesser known executions that were also important in the times of these rulers. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was executed in her seventies under the pall of treason. Unlike some of her executed counterparts, Margaret's was conducted in private and quickly, almost as if they were ashamed of what they were doing. Indeed, her execution was handled poorly, with an inexperienced axeman, who did not severe the countess' head from her neck in a single blow, instead hacking away at her until the job was done.

This book is a definite recommend for those interested in Tudor history. All of these executions took place in crucial part of these histories. My only complaint is that the author has a habit of reusing phrasing often. Other than that, this book is worth a read, and I highly recommend this to anyone with the interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Sword Publishing for the advanced reader copy!

I really enjoyed this, the group of people it covers are ones who do not get mentioned enough, let alone in the same writing. It was really informative, with not lots filler which i enjoyed, but her writing style kept you engaged.
As a lover of Tudor history, it was refreshing to read something different that hasn’t been done before, especially in such a detailed and unbiased way.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Sword for granting my wish!

A very good book for new and old Tudor fans alike. Well researched and detailed without being dry. Each chapter can be read as a stand alone as every unfortunate soul has their own. However, there is some repetition as it relates from one person to another i.e., Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard. This in no way distracts from the story. I think this would make an excellent edition to anyone's Tudor collection. Contains pictures which is always a bonus for me. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tutor Executions, from nobility to the Block by Helena Harris The one thing I learned from this book is that just by saying something against the king or queen or believing in a different religion did the nobility is not just a bad day but could be your last day. An even worse scenario is,your best friend is the leader of the country and you wake up to find their rival is now the leader. now just because you were friends you are now charged with treason. So many different reasons and so many different stories and a lot of them are in this book royal executions and those who were victimized by it. From bloody married to king Henry those who ordered executions were cruel but in some cases were loved by the people this is a great thought and one I definitely recommend I love these books about tutor history and cannot get enough of them I want to thank pen and sword press for my free arc copy. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Tudor period was a time of treachery and treason. So many nobles were constantly vying for power and privilege but allegiance to the monarchy was a tenuous game and many paid the ultimate price; their life after being found guilty of treason. I hadn't realised that at the start of the Stuart period, there were no dukes left. Helene Harrison has a particular interest in this era and writes with authority in an easy accessible style. Her research appears impeccable which an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources, a comprehensive index and a fascinating selection of illustrative plates.. Each chapter also has detailed footnotes throughout.

I really like the way she has approached this fascinating topic. She outlines those who lost their life and helpfully includes a definition of treason. It’s broader than just an act against the monarch and Henry VIII even managed to change the law allowing him to execute mad people. In one way, it wasn’t unusual that so many lost their life as a result of the treason allegation. This was a period of constant duplicity and all the nobles were interlinked, often by marriage. They all sought royal favour in one way or another and would stop at nothing to gain status. Their games often resulted in their downfall and this book provides fascinating insight into these bloody times and struggles for power. The narrative is arranged in such a way that each chapter may be read as a standalone ( with one exception). So it’s a great book to dip into. There are extensive family trees at the beginning which show familial links. Best of all is that Ms Harrison really gets behind the individuals and brings them to life. They become people rather than just titles and she explores motivations in an accessible and fascinating way for the lay reader. I’ve really enjoyed this book which delves into a completely different aspect of Tudor society. Original, informed and so readable. I’ll be looking for more from this author.

I loved the format, writing,research and the ease of reading this.Each person is given their own chapter with their family history,their place in the Tudor court and their charges and reasons for their execution.It was very detailed with occasional new to me information which in my opinion is difficult to do due to my wide reading over the years on the Tudors themselves.Very much recommend to new and old fans alike.