Thanks to NetGalley, Beverley Adams, and Pen & Sword for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Elizabeth of York and the Birth of the Tudor Dynasty. I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

After reading this book, I would drop Elizabeth of York from the title and just call it The Birth of the Tudor Dynasty. Although she is mentioned quite a bit, she did not feel like the sole focus here. It is a fascinating read either way and I would recommend it to those who enjoy learning more about Tudor history.

The Tudor period was a time of great upheaval in the royal household, mainly due to Henry’s desire to change his wife with increasing frequency, The story of his wives and children is well known. However, in the period leading up to Henry’s rule, there was even greater conflict and the detail around this tends to be overlooked. The monarchy evolved from the Plantagenets to the Tudors; I was aware of this but knew little about the reasons for it, other than in a rather fragmented way with a bit of knowledge about the Wars of the Rises and the Princes in the Tower.

Elizabeth of York was a central figure and Beverly Adam’s has undertaken a difficult job in explaining the complexities around the events that led to the transition from the Plantagenets, uniting the warring factions of York and Lancaster by political machinations to ensure the ‘right’ marriages. As is often the case, the role of women is ignored or understated and yet most were capable of contrivances to ensure they got what they wanted. It’s clear from the detail here that Elizabeth was a strong and influential individual and I find it easy to imagine how she managed to sway opinion and shift the balance of power as she wished. Beverly Adam’s book is a great overview of a tumultuous period. The machinations and violence of the royals is difficult to stomach and this title is an excellent insight into the struggles for power. At times, Elizabeth is not the central figure but her shadow is ever present and I’ve enjoyed this look at the life of a remarkable individual. Well written , particularly for the lay reader with an interest in social history.

This excellent book is very readable and a good addition to the lead up and start of our Tudor history sitting alongside such classic studies as Alison Weir's "Elizabeth of York" which I read some years ago.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Throughout English history, some of the most famous queens have been associated with the Tudor dynasty. We have the six wives of Henry VIII (Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr), Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. However, one Tudor queen is often overlooked for her daughters-in-law and granddaughters, the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York. So who was Elizabeth of York and what role did she play in the transition between the Plantagenet dynasty and the Tudor dynasty? Beverley Adams hopes to enlighten readers about this remarkable queen in her latest book, “Elizabeth of York and the Birth of the Tudor Dynasty: Uniting the Roses.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. While I know quite a bit about Elizabeth of York, the Wars of the Roses, and the origins of the Tudor dynasty, I wanted to see how Adams would portray these topics for beginners.

To begin with, Adams lays out the origins of the conflict that we know today as the Wars of the Roses with Edward III and his sons, John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster, and Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York. This led to a clash between King Henry VI and Richard Duke of York. Elizabeth of York’s father, the future King Edward IV, was the son of Richard Duke of York and he had to fight for his throne. Adams explores Elizabeth’s childhood as the eldest child of Edward IV and his wife Elizabeth Woodville during this tumultuous period of English history, which would form the foundation of what kind of queen she would be in the future.

Everything changed when Edward IV died suddenly, which meant that Elizabeth’s younger brother became Edward V and left Richard Duke of Gloucester as Lord Protector. For some reason, Richard Duke of Gloucester decided to take matters into his own hands, took control of the country, declared the children of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville illegitimate (including Elizabeth of York), and was crowned King Richard III in a matter of months. Some resisted the new king including the son of Margaret Beaufort and Edmund Tudor, Henry Tudor. Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville arranged a marriage between Henry and Elizabeth that would occur if Henry was able to defeat Richard III and become King of England, which he did at the Battle of Bosworth Field. The rest of this book is dedicated to showing how Elizabeth of York was as a wife, queen, and mother as she dealt with death, treachery from Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck, and triumphs as she was able to see the start of the Tudor dynasty.

I think Adams does a decent job with a book that is an introduction to Elizabeth of York, the Wars of the Roses, and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. There are some myths that she repeats to debunk, but I feel like, in some places, Elizabeth of York was not the main focus, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, if you want a solid introductory book to the life and times of the first Tudor queen, I would recommend you read, “Elizabeth of York and the Birth of the Tudor Dynasty: Uniting the Roses” by Beverley Adams.

A thorough look at the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville - from her childhood until her death. Honestly, I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about this young queen and I was pleasantly surprised to learn not only new things about her but about the traditions of the monarchy as well. Beverley Adams (author) poses some very interesting questions and if there is no clear-cut answer - she doesn't try to solve them. Instead she poses "food for thought" if you will - very well done. Includes pictures which is always a bonus from me. Not only a must for all White Rose and Red Rose fans but for all those who love histories of the monarchy. Definitely NOT a dull read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really insightful and interesting for all us historians and well worth a read! Elizabeth of York has often been overlooked by Tudor historians in favour of her infamous son King Henry VIII and his six wives, as well as her glorious ‘Virgin Queen’ granddaughter Queen Elizabeth I. But Elizabeth, the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, deserves far more recognition than she currently receives. She suffered the loss of her younger brothers, the Princes in the Tower, and lived through the reign of her maligned uncle King Richard III, who it has been suggested plotted to marry his niece.

Elizabeth of York has the distinction of being the daughter, niece, sister, wife and mother of a King. While not the most famous Elizabeth Tudor, she is certainly well known, and most people would agree that they've heard of her. Beverly Adams' Elizabeth of York and the Birth of the Tudor dynasty tells the story of this royal Elizabeth's life.

Born to Edward IV and his controversial Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth's fortunes would rise and fall with her families during her youth. At one point, betrothed to the Dauphin of France, at another, she was hiding in sanctuary in Westminster Abbey. After her father defeats the Lancaster faction, his family is restored and though Elizabeth is jilted by the French, she lives a peaceful, privileged life until the day her father dies, and her life is once again thrown in to limbo. Her legitimacy in question, she finds herself as the spoils of war promised to the future Henry VII should he succeed in taking the throne.

Even as Tudor take the throne, history has buried the real queen behind all the stories. Was she a strong, silent defender? Or was she domineered by her mother in law through the length of her marriage?

Elizabeth of York falls flat as the focus of Adams' book, which is disappointing, but as a beginning point for those interested in Tudor history, you still cant go wrong. Adams provides solid evidence and strong narrative. I highly recommend checking this out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am not well versed on the monarchy in England, so this book was one that I looked forward to reading to broaden my horizons. Before reading this, the extent of my knowledge of Elizabeth was that she was the sister of the two princes, Edward and Richard, who went missing in the Tower of London in 1483, and also that she was the mother of Henry VIII who liked to decapitate his wives instead of seeking Ye Olde Divorce.

Elizabeth was far more than what general history has left her with, and her marriage marked the end of the civil war in England known as the War of the Roses, which was far less pleasant than the name sounds. This book gives Elizabeth a voice that has been lost to history in many ways, overshadowed by the controversies involving her brothers, uncle Richard, and her son.

Although not what I would consider an "easy" read, it is engaging and also quite impressive in its scope. It is obvious that this information has been meticulously researched.

I really didn’t know a lot about Elizabeth of York but was able to learn about this woman and how she started the Tudor dynasty. It was researched well and enjoyed how much passion Beverley Adams had about this.

‘The death of the princes made Elizabeth the true heir to the crown, in the eyes of loyal Yorkist supporters but at just 18 years old and being female her chances of ascending the throne was defunct’.

Such an interesting read that I devoured this really quickly!

A must read for Tudor lovers!

‘She had come a long way from being the scared girl in sanctuary to the young mother who stood on the threshold of true queenship’.