Margaret Beaufort was perhaps the ultimate politician, surviving the tumultuous Wars of the Roses from beginning to end, and witnessing both her son and grandson ascend to the throne of England. Her life spans the transition from medieval to early-modern society, and she was instrumental in securing the rise of the Tudor dynasty. A major patron and cultural benefactor during Henry VII’s reign, Margaret also helped to initiate an era of Tudor patronage, establishing two colleges at Cambridge. These books provide a gripping account of Margaret’s life as an ambitious and devoted woman who risked everything to secure her son’s crown. You could contrast aspects of this factual account with Philippa Gregory’s fictional account in The Red Queen (Simon & Schuster, 2011; televised by the BBC as part of The White Queen mini-series, 2013).

Portrayed as the howling, cursing widow by Shakespeare, Margaret of Anjou seized the reins of leadership as her weak and ailing husband, Henry VI, descended into inaction and insanity. Margaret was instrumental in the events that formed the Wars of the Roses, leading her soldiers in battle and governing on behalf of her ineffective husband. She continued to fight for his – and then their son’s – right to rule, even after Henry relinquished it to the Yorkist claimant. England was simply not ready for this couple’s challenge to contemporary gender stereotypes. This book provides a significant revaluation of these two characters and their contributions. You could contrast it with fictitious portrayals, from Shakespeare through to Sharon Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour (2014, originally 1982) and Conn Iggulden’s Wars of the Roses series (2015–7).

Rather than focus on the men of the Reformation, this compelling work focuses on five women who were driven by their Protestant faith and intellect to further the reformist cause in England at a pivotal point in British history: Anne Boleyn (1507–36), Katherine Parr (1514–48), Jane Grey (1537–54), Anne Askew (1521–46) and Catherine Willoughby (1520–80). These ‘mothers of the English Reformation’ were passionate theologians, who were intensely interested in the religious concerns of their day.

This video highlights Margaret Beaufort's influence on education and Prince Henry.

Test your students' knowledge with these questions on the above clip.
Includes a Vocabulary section.

Test your students' knowledge with these questions on the above clip (with answer key).
Includes a Vocabulary section.