Books on the Tudors
recommended by historians
Last updated: December 11, 2024
The best books on the Tudors as selected by historians. The Tudor period was a fascinating time of massive change. With a dysfunctional royal family, the Tudor era had some well-documented, interesting characters who continue to inspire both serious history books and historical novels.
The Best Tudor Historical Fiction, recommended by Alison Weir
The Tudor dynasty, which ruled England from 1485 to 1603, has been the focus of extraordinary public attention in recent years, thanks to the success of books like Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and the lavish television drama The Tudors, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. We asked Alison Weir, the author of many bestselling factual and novelistic books on the period, to recommend her favourite works of Tudor historical fiction.
The best books on Life in the Tudor Era, recommended by Ian Mortimer
History is not about understanding the past for the sake of it, it’s about understanding human nature, says the historian and novelist Ian Mortimer.
The best books on Henry VII, recommended by Thomas Penn
He was the Machiavelli of English kings – a chancer and usurper with a highly dubious claim to the throne. But Henry VII ruled for 25 years and founded a dynasty. His biographer, Thomas Penn, tells us how he did it
-
1
Elizabeth I
by David Starkey and Susan Doran -
2
The Faerie Queene
by edited by Thomas P Roche Jr and C Patrick O’Donnell Jr & Edmund Spenser -
3
Translations by Elizabeth I, 1592-98
by Janel Mueller and Joshua Scodel -
4
Rewriting the Renaissance
by Margaret W Ferguson, Maureen Quilligan and Nancy Vickers -
5
Representing Elizabeth in Stuart England
by John A Watkins
The best books on Elizabeth I, recommended by Helen Hackett
The best books on Elizabeth I, recommended by Helen Hackett
University College London professor Helen Hackett selects five books on the Virgin Queen, including one by the monarch herself. “You get a sense of her independence of mind. She does her own thing”
The Best Thomas Cromwell Books, recommended by Benedict King
The Mirror and the Light—the final instalment of Hilary Mantel’s epic trilogy covering the life of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief minister and architect of the English Reformation—was published to great acclaim this month. Five Books contributing editor Benedict King chooses five of the best books to help you get to grips with the real Thomas Cromwell and the political and religious environment in which he operated.
-
1
Christianity In The West 1400-1700
by John Bossy -
2
Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe
by Brad Gregory -
3
Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet
by Lyndal Roper -
4
The Voices of Morebath: Reformation and Rebellion in an English Village
by Eamon Duffy -
5
For The Sake Of Simple Folk: Popular Propaganda for the German Reformation
by R W Scribner
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther, an unknown friar in an obscure town in eastern Germany may or may not have posted a list of complaints to the door of his local church. His actions would lead to what was later called ‘the Reformation’ — a grisly period in European history that nonetheless paved the way for a more tolerant and pluralistic society. Peter Marshall, one of the period’s leading scholars, talks us through the best books on the Reformation.
The best books on Art and Culture in Elizabethan England, recommended by Mark Girouard
Leading architectural historian, chooses books on art and culture in the Elizabethan era. From CS Lewis on literature, to the fantastic embroideries at Hardwick Hall, to baked rabbit and more.
The Best Historical Fiction Set in England, recommended by Lesley Thomson
For avid readers always on the lookout for new books to fall in love with, finding a good author and reading every single book they’ve ever written is a not uncommon strategy. British crime novelist Lesley Thomson introduces some of her favourite books, all works of historical fiction set in England.