On the Tudor Trail’s Birthday Giveaway
On 30 July, On the Tudor Trail turns 4! To celebrate, and thank you all for your ongoing support and encouragement, I am giving away paperback copies of The Boleyns: The Rise and Fall of a Tudor Family and The Tudors by Richard Rex.
For your chance to win this prize pack (1 x copy of each book), leave me a comment below answering this question:
In 25 words or less, tell me why you are fascinated by the Tudor era?
One lucky commenter will win both books!
This competition is now closed
Further Conditions of Entry
For your chance to win this fantastic prize pack you must be subscribed to On the Tudor Trail’s newsletter (if you are not already, sign up on our homepage).
The competition closes on 30 July 2013.
This giveaway is open worldwide!
Don’t forget to leave your name and a contact email.
Good luck!
Natalie
I find it exciting, more over the mystery that the Tudor history has, and that it´s read all over the world after so many years. I think only Henry VIII, could answer us the question you are making!
The people, the stories, and the fashions intrigue me. Plus, I love Anne Boleyn. She is the epitome of a strong, beautiful woman.
So many unanswered questions …Did Anne drawn in Henry, baiting him with her virginity, solely for the purpose of attaining the ultimate prize, or did she personally have designs to become Queen? Perhaps Anne was part of a larger plot designed to truly spark a reformation of the English Church?
My answer is: not knowing the truth is what it makes it fascinating!!!!
The Tudor era was Britain’s segue from the Medieval to the Modern world.
I love the contradictions of the Tudor era – the glamour, the riches, the superstition and of course the constant treachery!
The Tudors made England what it is today. It was a time of deep religion, love, hate and power. Henry and Anne are fascinating.
Should they ever have risen to power? Questionable , but fascinating to see how they used that power and the characters the Royal court attracted.
The Tudor era had everything: murder, deception, love, lust, greed, royalty. But what I love best is the irony displayed throughout the entire era, the unwanted daughters becoming queens (one of them a beloved queen) while the beloved son dies young, etc.
It always fascinated me that history was changed, religion was changed based, lives were lost in the most gruesome manner because of the passionate desire of one man, who happened to be a King, to possess one woman. A woman who consciously or unconsciously (who really knows?) used that desire to become a Queen. Then, it gets better. After all that (!), he falls out of love with her and charges are trumped up about her of the worse kind, e.g. incest, of which her father doesn’t even defend her! It is a historical soap opera of the most interesting kind. the more I read about it, the more I want to know more!
Oh – contact info is DebRadwan@aol.com
It was an era of reinvention and change. The dynasty changed (from Plantagenet to Tudor); the organizaton of the church changed (Pope to Monarch as Supreme Head); the nature of religion changed (Roman Catholic to Protestant); the acceptance of women as monarch changed … Heck, they even survived Elizabeth’s refusal to marry and bear a child ….!
I’m a Tudor-era costume designer and seamstress! I love EVERYTHING about the Tudor era!
I love history especially British and European history. I am American and feel that we are missing something with our democracy.
The Tudors changed the direction of western civilization, ending the era with one of the world’s great queens – Elizabeth I. How could I not find the Tudors intriguing and fascinating.
The Tudors, have been and remain my friends as the more I read the more I know. History completes, awes, devastates, destroys, and empowers me.
I love all thing royal. The Tudors are fascinating. Thanks for running the contest.
Michelle
“I’m Henry the VIII I am…” Divorced, beheaded, died, beheaded, divorced, survived. Who could resist learning more? They changed the face of history forever!
It appeals to so many human emotions and helps you to actually connect to 500 years ago.
Henry VIII was what pulled me in. Divorced, Beheaded, set aside etc etc Then his Daughter Elizabeth, in a world of Men she overcame and prevailed leaving her name etched in history “Ekizabeth the Golden age.”
The Tudor era has more drama than the average soap opera!
The word fascination means: a feeling of great liking for something WONDERFUL and UNUSUAL.
I Think the Tudors have both, On the one hand It´s a Wonderful period of time, the dresses, jewelry, palaces, partys, the people itself, just as a fairy tale!.
And on the other hand, The kings and queens were just unusual for this period of time. I mean, Henry VIII was explosive. He tore down monasteries, he divorced and beheaded, and he broke away from the Catholic Church. In his court, people rose and fell faster than your average reality TV star!!
So many changes in so little time!! That is what it makes it fascinating!
Sorry Natalie, Not 25 words!!! 😉
I have so much to say about Henry… But I only know that it was the door that led me to a thrilling world, where meets and coexist passions of all kinds. Thanks Henry although you will never know!
I walked into the history thanks to my mother, (I read another types of books). Henry caught me completely, not just him, but also his wifes, all the situations they lived, everything… sometimes when I read, I feel I involved in their lives, or that I am spying through a little hole.
Henry VIII!!! What a personality!. How many intrigues he faced? and of how many he was part of? But of one thing I´m sure, He was loved, hated, and admired, and those years will be immortal, and that´s why, it will be studied in every corner of world.
I’d like to see for myself if Henry as a young man was really as handsome as everyone said. I want to see what my characters really looked like and sounded like. I’d like to ask them what they dream and who they want to be. That´s why I can read a Tudor book after another one, and not getting bored, because i´m fascinated about this time.
I was always intrigued by the Tudor personalities, especially the fascinating women with such controversial reputations. My fascination never abated; throughout my formative years, I read everything I could and became interested in what lies underneath the veneer of what we call ‘fact’; the stories hidden within stories, so to speak. That fueled my desire to keep on searching and reading about this unique period of time!
Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I what great women, they truly fascinate me.
thehappycouple at rogers dot com
The strong, powerful personalities, the clothes, the jewels, the feuds, the sheer numbers of executions, the tremendous way they changed religion, dangerous and exciting times! denannduvall@gmail.com
For me, it’s psychology intertwined with history; the personal whims and desires of these people affected millions of lives and changed the Western world. It’s fascinating!
I´m 56 years old and since I’m 14 I read history books. It happens to me something intriguing and singular with the Tudors and all what goes around, is that everytime I read something about this period there are new facts, new documents and thoughts. Henry and his family continually amaze me!
We are all connected and giving our thoughts from different parts of the world, about the same topic and this is just fascinating!. I think that Henry took a good advantage of all the opportunities he had and used them not only for him, but also for his people. A great ruler and beloved king! just as his daughter!
When I think of Henry just 8 words come to my mind:
Ambitious, innocent, capricious, passionate, intelligent, witty, affectionate, despot.
He had a complicated life and he also made it complicated for the rest of the people who surround him…. But they just love him, he was their king!
There’s just something about Anne that grabs us, isn’t there, and it’s the same with women like Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Cleopatra etc. All amazing women.
I’ve always had a strong sense of justice so I think Anne’s miscarriage of justice also piqued my interest.
I honestly cannot remember a time when I was not fascinated by the Tudor era.
Anne Boleyn was a fascinating woman in a time when women did not have a lot of power other than behind the scenes. Depending on who you read, Anne was a slut or saint. The truth lies somewhere in between, I think. She literally shaped events and altered the course of history. There has to be something special about her that Henry was determined to have her at all costs.
I think a lot of the fascination about Anne is that she is an enigma. We can only guess at her motives and how she lived her life based upon letters and historical accounts. Since the victor determines how history is written, I’m sure there are many layers of Anne Boleyn that we have yet to find.
I am glad I stumbled upon this site and I appreciate the amount of work you have put into discovering the historical Anne. Many thanks Natalie and happy birthday!!!
How such a short time period, historically speaking, contained so much drama, glamour, wealth, intrigue, conspiracies, romance, executions, battles, victories, and larger than life personalities!
I think my fascination with the Tudors have to do with their own individual personalities and individual stories. Even though there are many books out there about the Tudors, the books about the people that attended the Tudor court adds more spice to my ever growing fascination.
When you consider that the Tudors changed the religious, political and social life of Europe (which was basically the known civilized world at the time) simply by their personal whims, choices and decisions – it’s amazing. A handful of people wielded so much power then and are still influential 500 years later. Was it their power, position or personality? Or a combination of all three>?
I was simply reading a book by Carolyn Meyer- “Doomed Queen Anne”. The novel’s story captivated me. I couldn’t believe that something like that had actually happened! On Wikipedia I researched her life, amazed by her story. After reading several more historical fiction books with Anne in them, I Googled “anne boleyn”. It brought me to your wonderful site, that I now check daily, and check whenever I need info on Anne, Heny VIII, or any of the important people of the time or the Tudor time period itself.
What started as a simple curiousity has turned into a passion.
Thanks for the chance, Natalie, of winning this two excellent books!!! I have my fingers cross!!!
Since seeing The Six Wives of Henry VIII, I have been drawn to the life and times of Tudor England. It is an amazing period. Dawn Pinnataro dawn.pinnataro@aronov.com
I appreciate this opportunity, because you give us the place to comment and tell, in my country It´s really hard to find this new Tudor books, simply they don´t arrive here, but I read everything I can find. Sincerely I´m in love with Henry VIII, his time, and also of Anne.
Thanks again, and happy birthday to this blog!!!! 😉
Hi Natalie I´m new here, My love of the Tudors was inherited from my mother. As a child, I didn’t so much hear fairy stories, as Tudor stories. I remember hearing them from a very young age – as young as 6. My mother’s favourite was Anne Boleyn, and after hearing her story many times, I joined the junior library and began taking books out on her. I read fiction and non-fixtion – my fav being ‘Murder Most Royal’ by Jean Plaidy. At 9, my mother took me to the Tower of London – and in those days, you couldn’t go in St Peter ad Vincula, I really hope someday I could visit it!!! It must be amazing to be there!
I visit this site to read what others are thinking/saying about Anne, as I do not think there has been any new evidence on her for many, many years – just re-hashing of the facts already known and different interpretations.
I will be visiting you soon!!!! And Happy 4 years!!!!!
The monarchy, particularily the tudors has fascinated me since i was 12, so 20 years now. Elizabeth has always interested me, such a powerful woman who lived in a man’s world. Thru Elizabeth I “met” her parents and of course all of Henry’s wives and children.
I read a book sympathetic to Mary queen of scots that portrayed Elizabeth as this evil she devil and i was horrified that this woman could just have another queen beheaded? of course i would walk around the library and book store trying to find out about her and I have not stopped since. I was always sorry about Elizabeths childhood situation and was shocked to discover that her father had her mother beheaded on trumped up charges, i could’nt understand why death in such a way was a normal punishment in that era.
Anne Boleyn always stood out because she just seemed different to the normal woman of the day and there is just so much about her we don’t know 100%, which keeps me rereading books every few years!
For me its the injustice of her death and the cruelty of Henry that keeps boggling my mind! Now where is that time machine!!! 🙂
I´m very sorry Natalie, but it´s very difficult to express in just 25 or less words!!!!
I never really had an interest in Anne or the Tudors’ until I saw the movie “Anne of the Thousand Days” about 10 years ago. I fell in love with the movie and was FASCINATED with Anne. That was when my interest started and now your website is something I visit almost daily. Since then I have movies, books and yes, a tattoo of the “B” necklace on my left ankle, (not too obsessive, uh?)
I think that people that live in England and and nearby countries naturally have an interest in English history from school and from growing up there. The fact that I am from Argentina, I never had an early exposure. But, let me tell you now, that I love Anne Bolelyn, English history and even current events that I cannot help but follow.
One day I will visit England, which would be a dream come true! I would be in awe if I saw with my own eyes, the place that I only have seen through t.v. and of course through your eyes on your site.
Thank you so much for your work so that I can continue to learn and have a source to turn to.
The Fascination in my case started as a young boy looking at my mother’s book “Henry VIII and his Court”. I absolutely loved the clothes and spent a lot of time staring at the pictures and wondering who all the people were. As I got older, I became fascinated with all the Queens in that period – 6 wives, Mary QofS, Mary & Elizabeth, Henry’s sisters, Catherine de Medici, Isabella,… I read anything I could get my hands on, and when I got the chance to see a costume drama I was in heaven.
Unfortunately this was all well before the internet and I never found anyone to connect with who shared this interest. Now I enjoy checking in on the fan sites. I am very interested in how history is constantly reinterpreted.
The Tudors is a very good example with all sorts of different views on many subjects presented over the last 500 years, although the facts haven’t really changed.
I remember as a little girl aged about 6 years old playing with my friend Tanya who would have been about 5 at the time. We were dressed up as Princesses and in our wonderful imaginations were riding horses, in our castles, dancing and feasting! We weren’t Disneyland princesses, we fashioned ourselves on English Tudor history not that we recognised this at the time. Later as young adults we reconnected and both discovered we had a love of English history and especially Tudor times. This reconnection with our bond as children not only fuelled our passion and love for our English backgrounds , but for a time past that is part of our history.
I LOVE history! As a child, I was drawing pictures of court life, I share the same birthday as Henry VIII and read everything about him!
To understand the changes that the Tudor period made then that we still incorporate to this day is an amazing and a worthwhile understanding.
The high drama, myths, personal triumphs and downfall are better than any soap you could see. To go behind the saga is even better.
I trace my family lines through many of these families. It has been a thoroughly fascinating journey of discovery.
The Mystery of the Tudors gives me an outlet into another world and time. Fairytales that don’t always have a happy ending are fascinating.
I have always been drawn to the Tudor Dynasty, it was my focus as I earned my B.S. in History. The impact of this dynasty can still be felt today, many people can relate to the triumphs, intrigue and the sorrow that took this dynasty and raised it up as the epitome of Medieval life. Macchiavelli had nothing compared to this family!!
Because I am a descendant of Henry VIII ‘s aunt. And I love history.