As Queen Catherine's maid and daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father gives her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, the spirited young woman must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honor. . . Naïve and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, doing his bidding in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the Howard name into the royal bloodline. The women's loyalties are tested as his schemes unfold-among them the litigious marriage of his niece, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry the VIII. But in an age of ruthless beheadings, no self-serving motive goes unpunished-and Elizabeth and Bess will have to fight a force more sinister than the executioner's axe. . . Praise for Secrets of the Tudor Court "A beautifully written story with wonderful attention to detail. I loved the book." -Diane Haeger, author of The Queen's Mistake "Throbs with intensity as it lays bare the secret delights of Tudor court life and the sudden, lethal terrors. A tale of innocence and ruthless ambition locked in a love-hate embrace." -Barbara Kyle, author of The King's Daughter

When young Mary Howard receives the news that she will be leaving her home for the grand court of King Henry VIII, to attend his mistress Anne Boleyn, she is ecstatic. Everything Anne touches seems to turn to gold, and Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has also seen the King's fickle nature and how easily he discards those who were once close to him. . . Discovering that she is a pawn in a carefully orchestrated plot devised by her father, the duke of Norfolk, Mary dare not disobey him. Yet despite all of her efforts to please him, she too falls prey to his cold wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Harry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and son to King Henry VIII, does Mary finds the love and approval she's been seeking. But just when Mary believes she is finally free of her father, the tides turn. Now Mary must learn to play her part well in a dangerous chess game that could change her life--and the course of history. "A beautifully written story with wonderful attention to detail. I loved the book." --Diane Haeger, author of The Queen's Mistake "Throbs with intensity as it lays bare the secret delights of Tudor court life and the sudden, lethal terrors. A tale of innocence and ruthless ambition locked in a love-hate embrace." --Barbara Kyle, author of The King's Daughter D.L Bogan is a history major, aiming for a master's so that she might lecture one day. She is also a musician with classical voice training who has been playing keyboards and singing in bands since she was 18. She also enjoys reading, traveling, summer activities, spending time with family and friends, and researching her next novel! She makes her home in central Wisconsin.

This book reveals the ways in which proximity to the throne dominated and frequently marred the lives of the Tudor cousins, sometimes contributing to their deaths. At almost any time, the Tudor succession might have been diverted to a descendant of one of Henry VIII's sisters. To be a Tudor cousin from the 1520s to the end of the sixteenth century was to live in constant uncertainty, wondering if 'fate' would offer crown and throne. There were times when the crown hovered just out of reach. The descendants of Henry VIII's sisters showed many of the traits admired or deplored in the characters of the Tudor monarchs. Their stories offer a new perspective on the Tudor monarchs' actions and policies. It is a dramatic one, containing conspiracy, rebellion, usurpation, treason, execution, and themes that are more often the stuff of fiction.

Produced and illustrated in the same style as The Paston Letters, this tells the story of the 16th century through the private letters of five leading noble families.

'Rivals in the Tudor Court' is focused on Thomas Howard, and those around him who would fight for all they hold dear. The death toll during Henry VIII's England could be counted in the thousands, and Thomas Howard, Third Duke of Norfolk was well aware of his dangerous times.

The first biography of Lettice Knollys, one of the most prominent women of the Elizabethan era, also examines the relationship between Elizabeth and Lettice's husband, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, within the context of his third marriage.

Married by proxy to James IV, Margaret Tudor, the daughter of Henry VII, becomes the Queen of Scotland and, after a tragic loss, falls victim to the attentions of the ambitious Earl of Angus—a move that brings Scotland to the brink of anarchy and plunges her into a world of betrayal, secret alliances and dangerous passion. Original.

“An exquisitely realistic portrait of Tudor England” sets the stage for royal romantic rivalry in this “compelling” novel from a New York Times bestseller (Library Journal). From the New York Times–bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a novel about the rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin, Lettice Knollys, for the love of one extraordinary man. Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson’s novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen—her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage. When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband’s love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen’s headsman. This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England’s most charismatic men. “Rival to the Queen gives this forgotten woman a place in history.” —RT Book Reviews “If you are a fan of Carolly Erickson or historical fiction, this book is for you.” —Affaire de Coeur “Erickson writes gracefully.” —Publishers Weekly

Two women separated by time but linked by twin destinies investigate the mysterious, tragic fate of the young princes in the tower in this engrossing novel, “a juicy mix of romance, drama, and Tudor history” (Ladies’ Home Journal). “Alison Weir’s strong suit as a fiction writer is making her novels living history.”—The Courier-Journal When her older sister, Lady Jane Grey, is executed in 1554 for unlawfully accepting the English crown, Lady Katherine Grey’s world falls apart. Barely recovered from this tragic loss she risks all for love, only to incur the wrath of her formidable cousin Queen Elizabeth I, who sees Katherine as a rival for her insecure throne. Interlaced with Katherine’s story is that of her distant kinswoman Kate Plantagenet, the bastard daughter of Richard III. In 1483, Kate travels to London for Richard’s coronation, and soon hears terrible rumors about him that threaten all she holds dear. Like Katherine Grey, she falls in love with a man who is forbidden to her. Then Kate embarks on what will become a perilous quest, covertly seeking the truth about what befell her cousins—two young princes—who may have been victims of Richard III’s lust for power. But time is not on Kate’s side, or on Katherine’s, who has been imprisoned. What secrets will be revealed in the notorious Tower of London? In this rich and layered story set within a framework of fascinating historical authenticity, Katherine and Kate discover that possessing royal blood can prove to be a dangerous inheritance. This edition includes an excerpt from Alison Weir’s Captive Queen.

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and your family closest of all...