Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy gives us an interesting look into the life of one of England’s most misunderstood queens. McElroy does a great job of bringing Mary’s emotional journey to life, showing her struggles with power, love, and betrayal. The writing is easy to get into and really pulls you into the drama of the Tudor court.

NetGalley, Natalie Abbott

Mary Tudor, Queen of France was a very informative read; similarly to how I proceeded last time with Catherine Howard, I came to this book after having read a fictionalization of Mary Tudor’s life, and it was so interesting to compare the two.
Here, there’s a real wealth of information about Henry VIII’s younger and favorite sister; I especially found her marriage negotiations insightful - they make it so painfully clear that women (of the royal household) were nothing more but pawns and used to strengthen political alliances. So it’s even more courageous of Mary to marry for love (after having done her duty and her first husband, the French king, died because of old age) - also because Henry VIII isn’t exactly known to be forgiving when you cross him.
All in all, a great book about Mary Tudor who appears in so many other books about that particular period in history but mostly remains on the fringes.

NetGalley, Katrin Figge

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

When one thinks of Tudor history, the towering figures of Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I usually come to mind. But what of the minor Tudors, such as Henry's siblings Arthur, Margaret, and Mary? In her latest book Mary Tudor: Queen of France, author Amy McElroy pens a meticulous and vibrant history of the youngest Tudor sibling, the lively and lovely Mary, Queen of France and later Duchess of Suffolk.

The Tudor dynasty seemingly attracts those drawn to its romance: the relationship between Anne Boleyn and Henry, the love between Mary and Charles Brandon, the did-they-didn’t-they dynamic of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. Although important, of course, other facets of those lives enhance each of these stories, and it's this focus on Mary's beauty and relationship with Charles Brandon that Amy explains but also expands upon in her illuminative work.

There's more to Mary than simply her second marriage: her familial dynamic, her first serious betrothal, her life in France, her struggles to find happiness and prosperity amidst uncertain economic circumstances, her passion for clothing, dancing, and pageantry, her proficiency in wordsmithing, and so much more. Amy broadens our understanding of Mary's life from her youth to her passing in 1536.

On March 18, 1496, Mary Tudor was born at Sheen Palace to Henry VIII and his wife Queen Elizabeth of York. Her parents had married in the aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth, uniting the divergent York and Lancastrians lines of descent from King Edward III. Mary was the youngest of their surviving children. Sadly, Elizabeth of York succumbed to complications from the birth of her last daughter, Katherine, passing away on February 11, 1503.

Amy details Mary's life from official records, inventories, letters, and more, painting a compelling portrait of this astonishing woman. At the book's beginning, she devotes significant time to Mary's childhood, paying particularly close attention to the princess’s education and her first betrothal to Charles, Prince of Castile, the son of Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile. After this fell apart, especially after Henry VII’s death in 1509, Mary married the French king Louis XII. She ruled as Queen of France for a few months before Louis died on January 1, 1515. It's after this point where many recognize Mary's story as the wife of Charles Brandon.

Before Mary left for France to marry Louis, she extracted a promise from her brother Henry that she could marry for love should Louis predecease her. As a result, she married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and Henry's best friend, shortly before her return to England. Evidence supports this marriage as a love match, and signs indicate that Henry was aware of their mutual attraction. The couple roused the king's ire, however, when they married sooner than expected, in March 1515, and without his firm approval. He fined them, but eventually allowed them to return to England. Mary and Charles lived happily together until Mary's death on June 25, 1533.

Mary Tudor: Queen of France is that rare non-fiction piece that combines deep research and engaging narrative to create a highly absorbing and informationally-rich book. Amy encourages readers to examine Mary's life more thoroughly, that she deserves to be remembered for more than just her appearance and her family. “Mary's beauty and ancestry should not be her only legacy; she was clearly a highly competent letter writer, using her skill to get her way and protect herself and those she cared about.”

I appreciated Amy’s focus on three particular aspects of Mary's life that often receive little attention: her first betrothal, her writing ability, and her care and support for those who served her.

Mary's betrothal to Prince Charles - who would go on to become Charles V - reflected her father's affection for her (in addition to her value in a marriage alliance) and her chance for a respectable and perhaps content marriage. The negotiations between Henry and Charles’s protectors - Maximilian, the Holy Roman Emperor; Margaret of Austria; and King Ferdinand of Castile - proved long and complex and ultimately fell through. However, in behavior which counteracts his normal frugal reputation, ensured a bountiful dowry for his daughter so that she would be provided for and have a comfortable life.

Mary's ability to influence by her adept writing and her support for those in her employ often go hand-in-hand. Amy recounts several instances in which Mary wrote to influential characters such as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in an effort to find them gainful employment, reward them, or attempt to return them to her service. This paints the Queen as a generous, intelligent, and politically astute woman with a keen mind and kind heart.

Amy’s biography of Mary Tudor offers readers a refreshing, balanced, and nuanced look into her life. Mary was a multifaceted and complex woman who deserves the telling of her story in a compassionate and authentic manner, and Amy McElroy has done just that. This book was a joy to read, and those interested in Tudor history, women's history, or English history will find much to engage with in Mary Tudor, Queen of France.

NetGalley, Amy Turner

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The life of a 16th-century princess is not all that it is cracked up to be. You can have jewels, and glamorous dresses, attend the glittering yet treacherous court, and have numerous homes. You must marry the person the king says you should marry to create strong alliances for the kingdom, so the concept of marrying for love is not in your vocabulary. You had to ensure your opinions were kept in line with the monarch’s views so you didn’t meet a disastrous end. In other words, the closer you are to the throne, the more scrutiny is forced upon you. No one understood this advice better than Mary Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VII and the younger sister of Henry VIII. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a queen, a duchess, and a mother. Her remarkable story is told in Amy McElroy’s book, “Mary Tudor: Queen of France.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have read Amy McElroy’s previous books, “Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era” and “Educating the Tudors,” and I enjoyed both books. When I heard that she would write her first-ever biography on Mary Tudor, I jumped at the chance to read it because Mary is my favorite of the children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.

McElroy begins with a quick overview of the conflict that brought the Tudors to the throne, the Wars of the Roses. The marriage of Mary’s parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York united the kingdom and started the Tudor dynasty. Like any dynasty, it was important to have heirs, spares, and daughters who could be used essentially as pawns in the marriage market to create strong alliances. Mary’s eldest brother Arthur married Katherine of Aragon to form an alliance with Spain and her older sister Margaret married James IV of Scotland for another alliance. From a young age, Mary Tudor was a proposed bride for Charles of Castile, the son of King Philip the Handsome and Queen Joanna of Castile and Aragon, who would become Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Unfortunately, this marriage plan fizzled, but another bride groom was waiting in the wing, King Louis XII of France.

Mary’s marriage to King Louis XII of France and her time as Queen of France did not last long because Louis died mere months after their wedding. Now Mary could have returned to England or stayed in France and waited for another royal match to happen, but Mary chose option number three. Mary’s heart belonged to her brother Henry VIII’s best friend Charles Brandon, and the two devised a plan to marry in secret. It was out of the ordinary and it did create quite the scandal, but at the end of the day, it was a love match. Charles and Mary had a family and were involved in court politics including the Great Matter, before Mary died on June 26, 1533.

I think what has impressed me about McElroy’s books, including this one, is her ability to reveal something new to the subject material. While I knew quite a bit about Mary’s life, it was the marriage negotiations and her inner circle that truly fascinated me. If you want a new book about the sister of Henry VIII with new insight into her life and the politics of marriage, I highly suggest you read, “Mary Tudor: Queen of France” by Amy McElroy.

NetGalley, Heidi Malagisi

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mary Tudor, younger sister to henry VIII, either gets skipped over or hardly mentioned in both fact and fiction retellings of the Tudor era, which is a shame, because she had a fascinating life with a romance that ended much, much better than almost any other love story in the Tudor era.

McElory follows Mary's life, mostly through invoices and other housekeeping accounts, but also through high stakes international treaties, letters between kings, and popular ballads. We rarely get Mar's voice, but on the few occasions we do, her voice rings out clear, educated, and determined - this is a woman who knows what she is worth, what she wants, and she is going to get both what she is entitled to and what she wants.

So its no accident that she ends up with the man she wants AND with titles, properties, and jewels worth a king's ransom - even if quite a lot of those jewels are wisely given over to her brother to get his stamp of approval on her second marriage.

Mary might have played the damsel in distress when advantageous, but she was just as determined as any Tudor to get what she wanted, no matter hat the consequences.

McElory points out that, sadly, Mary doesn't live long enough to meet her granddaughter Jane Grey, but that Jane definite inherited a lot of her brains from her grandmother, a woman who understood the power of words and how to use them.

NetGalley, Kara Race-Moore

Mary Tudor is one of my favorite people from the Tudor Era. She is not talked about as much as her brother and all his wives. I enjoyed Mary Tudor: Queen of France by Amy McElroy. The book was well written and very informative.

NetGalley, Amber Archambault

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy is a concise yet engaging historical exploration of the life of Mary. McElroy brings Mary’s complexity to life.

NetGalley, Elizabeth Schmit

A very complete and thorough look into a lesser written about Tudor. The author does a great job of outlining Mary's life with so much fascinating detail. Some rare photos too at the end of the book. A must read for any Tudor fan!

NetGalley, Christine Cazeneuve

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mary Tudor by Amy McElroy is a fascinating biographical account of the life of Mary, Henry VIII's sister, and not to be confused with his daughter.

The story is quite remarkable, and while I knew something about her, I didn't know everything. The chapters, which follow her through the 3 marriage proposals she receives, which result in 2 marriages, are quite astounding. So much time and effort went into trying to wed her to Prince Charles (later Emperor Charles), and then all of a sudden, she married Louis XII of France. I found it most fascinating. If anything, her 2nd marriage seems almost anticlimatic, even though it evidently wasn't at the time. And, with all we know about Henry and his marital difficulties, Mary appears to have been somewhat serene about everything. I imagine she perhaps had a happier life, if one often troubled by the terrible debt her brother placed upon her (families!).

I really appreciated the author's desire to keep this narrative to Mary and not to her children and grandchildren. It seems fitting to have a title devoted exclusively to her.

A fine portrayal of Mary's eventful, if short life, with a lovely writing style.

NetGalley, M J Porter

I’ve always been obsessed with the Tudor era, particularly King Henry VIII and his six wives. This was a nice change to read about someone connected but not the usual, such as Anne Boleyn (my favourite person to learn about). This was well written... I enjoyed this very much.

NetGalley, Shannon M.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I really didn't know anything about Mary Tudor, Henry's sister so this was a great read for more. It had that element that I was looking for and thought everything worked as a nonfiction book. Amy McElroy has a strong writing style and had that historical element that I was looking for.

NetGalley, Kathryn McLeer

Amy McElroy's "Mary Tudor" offers an accessible introduction to one of England's notable monarchs. As someone with only passing knowledge of Mary Tudor from European travels, I found this biography enlightening and well-structured. The book effectively balances historical detail with engaging narrative, providing valuable insights into both royal life and the broader context of 16th-century England.

While I can't compare it to other works on Mary Tudor, this biography succeeds in making the era and its key figure accessible to general readers. The author skillfully weaves political history creating an informative read for those interested in English history.

NetGalley, Masala LaVita

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amy McElroy stood out right off the bat by expressing her gratitude in the Acknowledgments as the first section of the book. It allowed me to appreciate the community of contributors and support it took to collect and assemble the story of Mary Tudor. It was refreshing for Mary Tudor to have the spotlight pointed directly at her.

Amy wrote the book in a very digestible manner that anyone can pick up and process the evolution of Mary Tudor. The tone of the writing was a far cry from the stereotypical stale and stiff historical timelines. There was a vivid picture painted of lineage of Mary’s ancestors and her own life. A friendly read that can intrigue those ranging from history intimidated to buffs.

This book includes a visual of her family tree, portraits and photos of core locations.

I think this book would make a great reference source for university classes, research papers and history minors or majors to have on deck.

NetGalley, Whitney D

At 4.5 stars, this is a must-read for Tudor enthusiasts and anyone fascinated by royal women who dared to live on their own terms. Mary Tudor’s life is often overshadowed by the dramas of Henry’s wives, but McElroy ensures that readers will see her not just as an accessory to Henry’s legacy, but as a complex, courageous figure in her own right—equal parts princess, queen, rebel, and survivor.

NetGalley, Chelsea Dugan

This is a very good book. It is full of facts and interesting tidbits. The book is easy to understand and is easily comprehensible for any readers. I enjoyed it very much having not read much about Mary.

NetGalley, Joyce Fox

I enjoyed reading this in depth look at the sister of King Henry VIII.

Most of what is known of Mary Tudor involves her romance and marriage to Charles Brandon, Henry’s best friend. This well researched biography gives a glimpse into Tudor life drawing on historical writings.
All the workings of the court, dowries ,clothes, jewels, marriages, births, deaths are all discussed.
Fascinating!

NetGalley, Debbie Hignett

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I so enjoyed reading about Mary Tudor - she has so often been a character in other Tudor history books I have read, both factual and fictional, but has always been on the periphery. With Amy McElroy’s wonderful book she is now taking centre stage and the result is an engrossing and enthralling study of this fascinating woman. From Princess to Queen to Duchess and her roles as daughter, sister, wife and mother Mary takes the spotlight in this excellent book. I would not hesitate to recommend Amy McElroy’s latest work.

NetGalley, Nicola Hall