I’ve read several books on the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, but this was the first to foreground the international maneuvering between Henry, Charles of the Hapsburgs and Francis of France. Fox and Guy suggest that this war the Boleyn’s acid pro French foreign policy that doomed them, given the pro Hapsburg leanings of Thomas Cromwell and others at Henry’s court. Henry’s bizarre and abrupt rejection of Anne was doubtless due to several factors: her lack of a male heir of course being significant, but it was interesting to view the story through the eyes of international diplomacy.

Brief note: I was shocked to read the offensive expression “Chinese whispers” used to describe hearsay and rumor mongering. I gather this is a common expression in the UK but that doesn’t make it acceptable. Shame on the editors and publishers for allowing this.