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Nobody does the Tudors better than Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl), so it should come as no surprise that her latest—the War of the Roses as seen through the eyes of Henry VII's mother —is confident, colorful, convincing, and full of conflict, betrayal, and political maneuvering. Gregory gives... read more

People edit see section history

  • Margaret Beaufort: AKA Margaret Stanley, Lady Margaret, and Margaret Stafford, she is the matriarch of the House of Tudor. Margaret is the main character and narrator for this novel. She is extremely religious and obsessed with seeing her son, Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, become king of England.
  • Henry Tudor: Henry VII, son of Margaret Beaufort and Edmund Tudor. Claimant of Lancastrian line to the throne. Married Elizabeth York, daughter of Edward IV.
  • Jasper Tudor: Edmund Tudor's brother; uncle to Henry Tudor and rearing him for most of his years.
  • Richard of Gloucester: Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and younger brother to King Edward IV, later King.
  • Edward of York: Son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville; one of boys killed in the tower
  • Earl of Warwick: Earl of Warwick responsible for placing the York King Edward IV on the throne. Known as the Kingmaker.
  • Elizabeth Woodville: Queen consort to Edward IV, mother of his children: Edward, Richard, and Elizabeth. She was very beautiful and thought to have abnormal powers.
  • William Herbert: The Yorkist ruler of Wales who changes his coat several times. He was entrusted with the upbringing of Margaret's son, Henry Tudor.
  • Thomas Stanley: Last husband to Margaret Beaufort, step father to Henry. He looked after his own interests and was not trustworthy.
  • Henry Stafford: Lady Margaret's second husband, and uncle to Henry, Duke of Buckingham. Henry was a thoughtful husband.
  • Joan of Arc: Saint greatly admired by Margaret. Joan was Margaret's inspiration.
  • Edmund Tudor: Henry's father and first husband of Margaret. Brother to Jasper.
  • Anne Neville: daughter of Earl of Warwick and wife to Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Very sickly. Anne died while Richard was king.
  • Dr. Lewis: Lady Margaret's physician and used as a messenger He was a spy for her cause.
  • Prince Richard, Duke of York: son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville; one of boys killed in the tower although there was some fear that he had escaped.
  • Jacquetta Rivers: Wife to Earl Rivers and mother of Elizabeth Woodville, Anthony Rivers, and Lionel Rivers She was thought to dabble in witchcraft.
  • Owen Tudor: Edmund Tudor's father, second husband of Catherine de Valois, wife of Henry V of England. Owen was Welsh.
  • William Stanley: Younger brother of Thomas Stanley. Like his brother, he looked out for himself.
  • George Stanley: Eldest son of Thomas Stanley, AKA Lord Strange. Supported Margaret.
  • Edward IV of England: The Yorkist claimant to the throne. Son of Richard, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville; brother to George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester; husband to Elizabeth Woodville; father of Elizabeth of York and the Princes in the Tower. His reigh brought peace to England for several years.
  • Henry VI: Lancastrian King Henry VI. Leading Lancastrian claim during War of the Roses. He died soon after Edward IV became king.
  • Duchess Cecily: Wife of Richard of York, mother of Edward, George, and Richard
  • William Hastings: Best friend of Edward IV
  • Reginald Bray: Add a description of this character.
  • Ned Parton: Servant of Thomas, Lord Stanley. He is left to serve as a messanger to Lady Margeret when she is held prisoner at Woking.
  • Earl of Northumberland
  • Katherine Woodville: Married to Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and sister of Queen Elizabeth
  • Richard Woodville: Lord Rivers, husband of Jacquetta, and father of Queen Elizabeth Woodville.
  • Anthony Rivers: Brother of Queen Elizabeth Woodville.
  • John of Gaunt: Patriarch of the House of Lancaster, son of Edward III
  • Rhys ap Thomas
  • Edward III: Father of many princes, including the heads of Lancaster and York
  • Duke of Clarence: George, one of Edward IV's brothers.
  • William de la Pole: First guardian of Margaret
  • Arthur: Former warhorse, given as gift to Lady Margaret by her husband.
  • John Morton: Advisor to Lady Margaret Beaufort.
  • Lady Elizabeth: Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville's oldest daughter.
  • John Leyden
  • Henry Percy: The Earl of Northumberland, lukewarm supporter of King Richard of York.
  • Edmund Beaufort
  • William Catesby
  • John de la Pole: Man to whom Lady Margaret was first betrothed, as a child.
  • Duke of Brittany: Patron of Henry Tudor
  • Earl of Salisbury
  • Earl of Oxford
  • Duke of Bedford
  • John Cheney
Show all 47 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “We may be of the same family, but that is the very reason why we are not friends, for we are rivals for the throne.”
    Mother of Margaret Beaufort
  • “I think the queen and Duke Richard will fight like dogs over the bone that is the little prince, I think they will tear him apart.”
    Thomas Stanley
  • “This was my destiny: to put my son on the throne of England, and those who laughed at my visions and doubted my vocation will call me My Lady, the King's Mother, and I shall sign myself Margaret Regina: Margaret R.”
    Margaret Beaufort
  • “It is not a question of the rights of the cause, but simply on which side I was born.”
    Henry Stafford
  • “"I don’t think your God has ever advised you otherwise. You hear only what you want. He only ever commands your preferences.””
    Thomas Stanley
  • “"Since you were a girl, of course not. Since you were a girl you could only be the bridge to the next generation; you could be nothing more than the means by which our family gets a boy."”
    Mother of Margaret Beaufort
  • “"What I wish and what God wishes must be the same."”
    Margaret Beaufort
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • it seems to me that there is nothing more likely to cure a woman of lust than marriage.
    Highlighted by 30 Kindle customers
  • We of Lancaster are the direct line of descent from Edward III by his son, John of Gaunt. The direct line! But the Yorks can only trace their line back to John of Gaunt’s younger brother Edmund. They are a junior line: they are not descended from Edward’s heir; they descend from a younger brother. They can only inherit the throne of England if there is no Lancaster boy left.
    Highlighted by 28 Kindle customers
  • the wife, of Edmund Tudor, the king’s half brother. The Tudor boys are the sons of the king’s own mother, Queen Catherine of Valois, by her second marriage to Owen Tudor. There are two Tudor brothers, both great favorites of the king, Edmund and Jasper. Both half royal, both favored. You will marry the older one.”
    Highlighted by 24 Kindle customers
  • I have to say I am much less impressed by crucifixion now that I am in childbirth. It is really not possible that anything could hurt more than this. I grieve for the suffering of Our Lord, of course. But if He had tried a bad birth He would know what pain is.
    Highlighted by 24 Kindle customers
  • I don’t think your God has ever advised you otherwise. You hear only what you want. He only ever commands your preferences.”
    Highlighted by 22 Kindle customers
  • “We are all royal. Why do we have to be rivals? We are all Plantagenets, we are all descended from Edward III. We are all cousins. Richard, Duke of York, is cousin to the king just as I am.”
    Highlighted by 21 Kindle customers
  • I am Lady Margaret Tudor, born a Beaufort, of the House of Lancaster, cousin to the sleeping King of England. But he is both a Beaufort and a Tudor. He has royal blood on both sides. He is Earl of Richmond, of the House of Lancaster, and has a claim, after the king’s son, Prince Edward, to the throne of England.
    Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers
  • virago as well. On the third day, Jasper is ready to ride away again, and I
    Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers
  • dox … my woman friend thought that Joan was a holy maid, called by God to save France from us English. Thought she couldn’t be touched by a sword. Thought she was a little angel.” “And what was she like?”
    Highlighted by 8 Kindle customers
  • doxy …” The maid snapped her fingers at him, and he choked down the word. “A young
    Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers
Show all 17 quotes from this book

Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

The light of the open sky is brilliant after the darkness of the inner rooms.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Spring 1453
August 1453
October 1453
Summer 1455
Summer 1456
Autumn 1456
January 1457
Spring 1457
March 1457
Summer 1457
January 1458
Summer 1459
Autumn 1459
October 1459
Spring 1460
July 10, 1460
Winter 1460
Spring 1461
Easter 1461
Autumn 1461
Autumm 1470
Spring 1471
April 1471
Summer 1471
September 1471
Tenby, Wales
Winter 1471-72
April 1472
June 1472
1482
April 1483
Westminster
May 1483
London
June 1483
London
Sunday, July 6, 1483
September 1483
October 1483
Winter 1483-84
Spring 1484
April 1484
Summer 1484
Winter 1484
March 1485
March 1485
April 1485
May 1485
June 1485
July 1485
August 1485
August 19, 1485
August 20, 1485
August 20, 1485
Leicester
Sunday, August 21, 1485
Author's Note

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 2 of 6 in War of the Roses. (standard series)

Preceded by The White Queen, and followed by The Lady of the Rivers.

This is book 87 of 121 in Znanje - Knjiga dostupna svima. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Philippa Gregory (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Touchstone
Country: USA
Publication Date: August-2010
ISBN: 978-1416563723
Page Count: 400

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

  • Philippa Gregory Official Site: The author's official site with synopsis, reviews, audio samples, reading group guide, and downloadable .pdf of the first chapter.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The White Queen
  • The Other Queen

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • The White Queen

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