Head of Zeus

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The King is Dead

by Suzannah Lipscomb

On 28 January 1547, the sickly and obese King Henry VIII died at Whitehall.

Just hours before his passing, his last will and testament had been read, stamped and sealed. The will confirmed the line of succession as Edward, Mary and Elizabeth; and, following them, the Grey and Suffolk families. It also listed bequests to the king's most trusted councillors and servants.

Henry's will is one of the most intriguing and contested documents in British history. Historians have disagreed over its intended meaning, its authenticity and validity, and the circumstances of its creation. As well as examining the background to the drafting of the will and describing Henry's last days, Suzannah Lipscomb offers her own, illuminating interpretation of one of the most significant constitutional documents of the Tudor period.

'A bold and original attempt to unravel one of the great mysteries of English history' DAVID STARKEY

Head of Zeus, an Apollo book * Modern History

03 Sep 2020 * 256pp * £9.99 * 9781838937430

REVIEWS

'I was gripped by Suzannah Lipscomb's The King is Dead, an elegantly written forensic examination of Henry VIII's last will and testament'

Saul David, Book of the Year in the Evening Standard

'This is a book that deserves to be read. Lipscomb has produced an entirely credible interpretation of a contentious issue. Her sober but still engaging prose thankfully lacks that sweet sentimentality that so often characterises popular histories of the Tudors ... With admirable authority, she provides an interesting allegory about how misplaced trust can undermine the best-laid plans of a powerful king'

The Times

'As generous with its detail as it is with its beautifully reproduced images ... a must-read for those fascinated by the Tudor world'

History Revealed

'Learn of Henry's last days and the drafting of the will in this beautiful, illuminating – and illuminated – tome'

Historical Trips UK

'A bold and original attempt to unravel one of the great mysteries of English history'

David Starkey

Author

Suzannah Lipscomb

Suzannah is a historian and TV presenter, and a Senior Lecturer at the New College of the Humanities. She is the author of 1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII and The King is Dead: The Last Will and Testament of Henry VIII.

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