🏵 I have been researching and studying my family tree since I was 12 years old. Based on my research, Thomas Howard (the man this biography is about) is my 18th great-grandfather. So, I had to read this, right? Gotta study up on what old grandpa did in his life! 😊

🏵 This was meticulous in detail, slightly academic, but still very readable. It is a relatively short book (print length 208 pages) so it is a fairly quick read.

🏵 For those who don’t know, Thomas Howard was the 2nd Duke of Norfolk, the grandfather of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard (both beheaded wives of Henry VIII), and the great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth I. This biography covers his entire lifetime and discusses his successes and failures in both his family and political life.

🏵 If you are a Tudor nerd like me, this is a must read. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you @netgalley and Pen & Sword History for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

3 "straightforward, solid, somewhat interesting" stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Pen & Sword History for an ecopy. This was released January 2020 and I am providing an honest review.

This Duke lived a very long life (81 years) was married twice and had 22 children (half lived to adulthood). He was the great grandfather of Elizabeth I as well as grandpa to Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. He served four British monarchs and had so many royal roles and titles including military chief, statesman, diplomat etc etc etc. He was ambitious and an incredibly hard worker. He married for love or lust which was very uncommon in the 16th century. He was a good listener, strategic but very opinionated with a jealous streak (that he was able to keep under check) He grew his estates manifold and spent a few years in prison. He fought in battles with Scotland and was often peacemaking with France. He was quite a righteous and smart dude !

This historian knows this man's story inside out and is able to share his story with neutrality, some good analysis and in a helpful within historical contexts. She provided much information on his family connections, war strategies, political maneuvering and the minutiae of his everyday life. This is all most excellent and very helpful and enlightening.

What is less excellent however is the intrapersonal and interpersonal understandings of this man and with all her knowledge she could have provided some educated conjectures on this historical duke's psychological portraiture. There are also no maps, pictures or illustrations.

Over all a very solid historical biography on this royal personage and I was very glad to have spent some time with this duke !

I enjoyed this book but I felt the writing was very academic.
It gives a very detailed account of Thomas Howard’s life. It just wasn’t my preferred writing style.

A fascinating look at a character that is often overlooked in history. I love reading things like this it didn't disappoint.

This book, by Kirsten Claiden-Yardley, gives effective insights and new information for all those interested in the Tudor Revolution. You may disagree with certain conclusions drawn but you cannot fault the scholarship.

An interesting history of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk, and his struggles to better his family via the patronage of the kings. An astute insight into the lives of Tudor gentry, and in particular the life of a man so crucial to Tudor history.

A great read full of information about the duke of norfolk, I have read many books on the Tudors but found out lots of new information from this book, a great read for history lovers

Thomas Howard is a name that you will hear repeatedly in English history. He was the grandfather of queens, a friend of kings, and one of the most powerful magnates in the land.
His story spans the life of a man who lived longer than most - reaching eighty years of age. During his lifetime, he would be involved in one of the most active kings' lifetimes, and span the reign of more than SIX kings. His life was far from easy, having to rebuild and reestablish himself after being arrested for treason.

The life of Thomas Howard was fascinating. I found myself having a hard time putting this book down to get anything else done! To image what he must have seen, after reading through his life, I am awed by the man that he was, and the legacy that he left behind.

For those who love history, this is a MUST READ! Kirsten Claiden-Yardley did not disappoint with her work, and this book is a true gem!

Living to the grand old age of 81 and surviving 5 monarchs is no mean feat in itself. But Lord Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk did just that. His story is fascinating with all the twists and turns you'd expect to find in a novel rather than a factual telling of his long life. For students of history there is a lot to be garnered form Yardley's scholastic research. Whilst for the average reader this book vividly conveys what it took to survive at the top level of society, during those tempestuous years when holding on to your lands, and the income they generated, was continually challenged by successive monarchs. Thomas Howard, with great guile, not to mention courage, rebuilt his estates and earned the respect and trust of the Tudor monarchs. He twice loyally and successfully defended the North of England from invasion by the Scots and the detailed description of the Battle of Flodden I found absolutely fascinating. When Howard died he left behind a substantial legacy and was honoured with the equivalent of a State funeral in which the 3 day journey taken by his cortege had all the pomp and circumstance of a Royal progress. On finishing this book one views this respect as justly earned.

A good biography on Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk who, for his time, lived an astonishing 80 years and saw 6 kings reign - through the War of the Roses and to the reign of the Tudors. Gives a great insight into the times, and a look at the peripheries and behind the scenes that you don't get when only focusing on kings and queens.

This is a fascinating biography of Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk. It is very well researched and written in a clear engaging style. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to everyone with an interest in Tudor history.

Good for those who have an interest in Tudor England. More on the people and events around him then Thomas - but you do get to see what he was involved in.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I love the Tudor era so to be able to read about a 'new' facet of this time has been a real treat for me

This is wonderful - well researched and a great read - the style of writing makes this book so accessible - it draws you in and the fantastic descriptive text brings everything to life.

Absolutely loved this - a must read whether you are into the Tudors, history - even just a reader - an absolute pleasure to read

I just finished reading this wonderful
Biography of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (grandfather to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard).Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk was 81 years old when he died in 1524, and he had lived through the reigns of 5 kings. His long life was dedicated to serving to the Crown and the advancement of his own family. A staunch Yorkist, he found himself on the wrong side of the Tudors at the start of Henry VII’s reign. Ever the pragmatist, he worked diligently and faithfully to secure the trust of the new king and quickly rose in favor under both the father and the son. Kirsten Claiden-Yardley offers a brilliant study into then Duke’s life, struggles, and legacy; providing analysis of key figures and events, but not so much that it prevents you from drawing your own conclusions. This book is written in a narrative quality, and the author’s vivid description of court events, and the battles of Bosworth and Flodden field will keep you coming back for more! I’d like to thank Netgalley and Pen & Sword History for the opportunity to read this amazing book!

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This was a well-written, short look into the life of Thomas Howard. A man who survived four kings, he may be most well known today for being the grandfather of two of Henry VIII's wives- Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard- but in his lifetime he was certainly one of the powers of the realm. Loyal to the crown, he served both Richard III and his successor Henry VII (despite fighting against Henry at the Battle of Bosworth) and not only served England well, but also managed to create a family dynasty of his own. "The Man Behind the Tudors" does an excellent job of putting Thomas' life and actions in context and analyzing why he did, or did not, take certain actions. I enjoyed this book and certainly learned a lot here, and would recommend it to others interested in learning about not only Thomas Howard, but also what it was like living in this time period and trying to keep influence with kings.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Man Behind the Tudors, Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Kirsten Claiden-Yardley

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: History, Non-fiction (adult)

I've read many books set in the Tudor period, set from the perspective of the Kings or Queens of the time. I've always wondered what drives the men ( and women) behind the scenes, the ones who have real power but need to keep on the right side of the Royals. Its a dangerous place to be.
Thomas Howard is one such man, well known in the context of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard but not really for himself. This book takes us from his childhood to his death in his eighties.
In an age where kings changed, loyalties changed, even religion changed that's an incredible thing for a senior courtier to successfully wade through for so long. Many innocent people lost their lives on little more than the king's whim, paranoia, gossips and hearsay. That Thomas managed to not only survive that but thrive in it, settling his family down, expanding his personal and family wealth and position is amazing to me. He was clearly a very clever man, but one able to walk that thin line between respect and honesty to his king, and telling him what he needed to know, doing what needed to be done for king and country.
I liked that the author explained where he'd sourced material, where it made it clear what was fact, backed up by primary evidence and what was speculation.

I found it an interesting read but....very much like a text book to read. Very date, people and places heavy, where I prefer a little more of the personal side, to really feel as if I know the main character.
Its just a different style of reading to that which I normally choose, and there is so much going on, so many people, so many changes, alliances, marriages and deaths, and remarriages, that I found it difficult to keep up. That's all a personal issue though, nothing to do with the book. It never pretends to be anything other than an account of Thomas Howard's life, but more an issue of my expectation.

Stars: Three, an excellent account of Thomas Howard's life, very detailed but just a little too heavy for me personally to enjoy more.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

I love Tudor history and I thought I knew all about Thomas Howard. Although this book is short it packs a lot of history within the pages. I learned more about Thomas Howard in a couple of hours than I have in all the books I have read combined.

5 stars

This book is an exhaustive study of the life of Thomas Howard the 2nd Duke of Norfolk during the late 15th and 16th Centuries in England. It traces the history of the Howard family for many generations before Thomas' birth. The book further tells how the family became elevated to royalty as Dukes of the realm. Thomas served several monarchs, most notably Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII.

The children of nobility at that time would have been sent either to another household for training or to a local grammar school to learn Latin, logic and so on. They also would have received education in etiquette, sword fighting, conduct and so on.

Richard III was the king who granted the Dukedom of Norfolk to the Howard family after their close relatives the de Mowbray family (who were the Dukes prior to the Howards), died out. At the same time, the Howards were gaining prestige as a shipping concern. By the time of Richard III, they owned many ships.

Ms. Claiden-Yardley tells the reader about the battles in which the kings and the Howards were involved in such places as Scotland, France and Spain. She lists those personages that were present and the outcome of the conflicts.

Thomas' father John Howard was killed in the Battle of Bosworth (or shortly thereafter), and his son Thomas was then to inherit the title as the 2nd Duke of Norfolk. Henry VII had him imprisoned for he did not trust him. John and Thomas Howard supported King Richard III. Thomas was later released from the Tower (of London), and slowly his lands were restored and he was pardoned of the charge of treason by Henry VII. Henry VIII restored his dukedom when Thomas was seventy-one years old following his victory at the Battle of Flodden against the Scots the previous year.

Thomas was to spend the next forty-five years of his life loyally serving the Tudors. Ms. Claiden-Yardley also details the ongoing political feud between Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and his sometime friend Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.

I appreciate the manner in which the author critically examines the texts and opinions of the time in which they were written and does not just accept them blindly as true sources. She instead considers any possible biases given the reporter and the politics of the day. It remains very true that writers such as Eustace Chapuys or Sir Thomas More very well might have had their own agendas. This book is written quite well and is easy to read. I like the writer's style as she makes the research interesting. She really brings these people to life as she describes their lives and manner. I know how hard it is to make the cold facts of history come to life. Ms. Claiden-Yardley exhibits a high level of scholarship and includes a bibliography for those who would like to further explore Thomas Howard's life.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword/Pen & Sword History for forwarding to me a copy of this most informative and enlightening book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Being interested in the Tudor era I was well aware of Thomas Howard the 3rd Duke of Norfolk and was aware of his father and his victory at Flodden but not in any great detail. Claiden-Yardley explores the life of Thomas Howard the 2nd Duke of Norfolk from his childhood through to his death, uncovering his successes, failures and what really motivated him.

Thomas served through the reign of four kings, Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII. Where many died for fighting for the wrong side Thomas managed to maintain his life although that is not to say his fortunes did not rise and fall as he fought for Richard at the Battle of Bosworth. Thomas spent years working hard to regain trust and develop his family dynasty slowly regaining his lost lands and eventually his title after the Battle of Flodden Field.

His experience as a courtier and a military commander are explored and I loved the part which discusses Flodden Field. Here Thomas used all his knowledge and experience to overcome a larger army and bring success to Henry VIII.

After reading this I understand Thomas to be a family man, working to ensure his family was established and wealthy. His relationship with his children is discussed along with the dynasty he left behind. Thomas was of course grandfather to two queens, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and great grandfather to Elizabeth I, a pretty impressive legacy.

I greatly enjoyed that Claiden-Yardley provides information about the current extended Howard family who maintain some of the titles gained through Thomas' hard work all those years ago. I also especially enjoyed the images of Thomas' tomb and what it may have looked like had it not been destroyed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it brought Thomas to life. It seems Thomas was always loyal to the crown regardless of who wore it and tried his best for his monarch and family. I highly recommend this to those with an interest in the era.

I doubt that anyone with even the faintest interest in the Tudors won't have heard of Thomas Howard, being placed so centrally as he was. However, I realised whilst reading this that I actually knew relatively little of the man himself, beyond his relationships to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and his connections to Henry VIII. This book provides a very interesting account with lots of new information and perspectives. A fascinating character.