G. W. Bernard
Autore di The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church
Sull'Autore
G. W. Bernard is professor of early modern history in the University of Southampton.
Fonte dell'immagine: University of Southampton
Opere di G. W. Bernard
The Late Medieval English Church: Vitality and Vulnerability Before the Break with Rome (2012) 53 copie
Studying at University: How to Adapt Successfully to College Life (Routledge Study Guides) (2003) 8 copie
The power of the early Tudor nobility : a study of the Fourth and Fifth Earls of Shrewsbury (1985) 6 copie
War, taxation, and rebellion in early Tudor England : Henry VIII, Wolsey, and the Amicable Grant of 1525 (1986) 5 copie
Authority and Consent in Tudor England: Essays Presented to C.S.L. Davies (2002) — A cura di — 2 copie
Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Nome canonico
- Bernard, G. W.
- Nome legale
- Bernard, George William
- Data di nascita
- 1950
- Sesso
- male
- Nazionalità
- UK
- Luogo di nascita
- London, England, UK
- Istruzione
- St Catherine's College, University of Oxford (MA|D.Phil|1978)
- Attività lavorative
- professor
historian - Organizzazioni
- University of Southampton
Wolverhampton Polytechnic
Utenti
Recensioni
Potrebbero anche piacerti
Autori correlati
Statistiche
- Opere
- 10
- Utenti
- 289
- Popolarità
- #80,898
- Voto
- 3.4
- Recensioni
- 5
- ISBN
- 25
G W Bernard is a historian who has specialised on the reformation in England. He is therefore familiar with many of the primary and most of the secondary sources relating to Ann Boleyn and so one could say that he is in a perfect position to debunk the myths that have surrounded this now popular queen. There are however many gaps in the primary sources that will probably never come to light, for example there are no details of Anne Boleyn’s trial. However we do know the indictments against her as set out in the charges:
“On 6th October 1553 and several days before and after, Anne by sweet words, kisses, touches and otherwise seduced Henry Norris to ‘violate’ her on 12 October 1533. They had illicit intercourse at various other times., both before and after sometimes on her instigation sometimes on his., Anne had incited her own brother to have sex with her, alluring him with her tongue in his mouth and his in hers and also by kisses presents and jewels, George on 5 November 1533 and on several other days before and after made love to his sister at Westminster, sometimes at his sometimes at her instigation, despising the commands of God and all human laws”
Indictments against William Brereton, Sir Francis Weston and Mark Smeaton were then set out in identical ways. They were all found guilty and paid with their lives. G W Bernard says that many historians have concluded that these charges are surely preposterous and therefore Anne Boleyn must have been framed. Of course there is much circumstantial evidence for this view: Henry VIII had already made overtures to Jane Seymour, Anne now seemed to be past child bearing age and had not given Henry a son. Henry perhaps was being influenced by the Howard and the Seymour families at court and was concerned that the protestant reformers were gaining too much power.
Lets look at the facts says G W Bernard and his book is a sifting of those pieces of evidence written with a view to making his book palatable for the general reader. He does of course get to choose which pieces of evidence he prioritises, but because there is relatively little of it there are no major omissions as far as I can see. He is not able to prove one way or the other the extant of Anne’s culpability, but he does enough to make the reader stop and think that maybe Anne was guilty to some extent of the crimes of which she was accused. He does a good job in debunking the myth that Anne held Henry at bay for six years until he promised to marry her and he also casts doubt on any leading/inspirational role that Anne had in Henry’s break with Rome. He makes the very valid point that Henry VIII was very much his own man and it is difficult to imagine Anne leading him by the nose even for a short period of time.
G W Bernard’s book serves as a biography of Anne Boleyn but written with an historians perspective; he is careful at all times to refer to his sources and where there are conflicting views, he will weigh up the likelihood of the true nature of events, but is not afraid to admit that he cannot give answers to all the questions raised. This is a book which could be of interest to the general reader with an interest in Anne Boleyn, but because of its determination to sift through the evidence, it does this at the expense of portraying a clear pictures of the protagonists. Bernard leaves the readers themselves to fill in the gaps and so this is one for those people that are more interested in the history. 3.5 stars… (altro)