The Plantagenet and Tudor Series: Journey into the Enchanting World

Do you like historical fiction novels? So, do you like the fact that there is love, intrigue, and ambition in historical events and fiction? When it comes to historical fiction in literature, Philippa Gregory is one of the first names that come to mind. Philippa Gregory invites you to an intelligent and entertaining journey into the depths of history with her series “The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels”. This series contains many famous historical novels. And deals with the rich and complex history of England and the royal families ruled by the Plantanaget and Tudor dynasties. In this series, Philippa Gregory masterfully brings together the magic and reality of the historical novel. While emphasizing the importance and power of female characters at every opportunity.

A Journey Behind the Scenes of Historical Events

No matter which of the fifteen books I read in The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels series, it takes me to magical worlds in which I enjoy being a spectator. I will try to briefly review this series, which I devoured at the time. “Shortening” is always a challenge for me. We will take a closer look at the stories of many important characters in history. It also stands out with its many impressive television and screen adaptations based on the series.

While Philippa Gregory’s historical novels take readers on an unforgettable journey into the past, I think they are wonderful, well-researched stories that are very close to reality. It is a great source of entertainment for me to see the inner worlds of characters who have left their mark on history and to be able to turn them into reality in my mind. So, are you ready for an enjoyable historical journey? This series, which is like an old friend winking at me from my library, will always remain in my mind as a timeless book. So let’s take a look at Philippa Gregory’s “The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels” series together.

Following the Footsteps of Women: Discovering the Plantagenet and Tudor Eras

Historical novels don’t just tell us the story of that period. They discuss the problems of that period, important topics, political stances, wars, and even the country’s religious affiliations. Philippa Gregory’s “The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels” series is one of these works, and the author masterfully handles these various themes in her stories.

From Plantagenet to Tudor: Unveiling the Historical Riches

Welcome to a journey through an important part of British history. Spanning three centuries, the Plantagenet dynasty left an indelible mark on the country’s politics, culture, and society. From William the Conqueror to Richard III, the Plantagenet kings shaped the course of English history, expanding their territory, developing their power, and encountering many challenges. The Plantagenet Dynasty began with Henry II in 1154 and ended with the death of Richard III on the battlefield in 1485. If you have an interest in history, like me, you might even be surprised that this family managed to extinguish itself. Despite having many heirs in comparison to the House of Tudors that succeeded them, they, during their entire reign, produced a total of 14 kings, of whom 6 belonged to the Lancet and York cadet families.

So where exactly do our novels fit into history? This period, which spans many years, begins to appear in our stories with the formation of two cadet branches called Lancaster and York, formed by the son of Henry III, one of the kings of the Plantagenet Kings Family Tree, and the son of Edward III.

A Voyage Through Time

The Plantagenet dynasty, one of the families that shaped the history of England, shaped its history and culture while ruling England for more than three centuries. However, as time progressed, the struggle for the throne of two noble and powerful families turned into a civil war that lasted for years, resulting in the Wars of the Roses. As a result of Richard’s death on the battlefield, the Tudor Period begins.

About The Tudors, the nearly hundred-year reign of the throne is also known as one of the brightest periods in English history. The Tudor dynasty left its mark, especially with the break from Rome and the beginning of the English Reformation during the reign of Henry VIII. This reformation, after transformations and various trials, culminated in the establishment of the Anglican church during the reign of Elizabeth I. The House of Tudor Family tree is also a period in the History of England with many scandals.

From Plantagenet to Tudor, the novels in the series consist of the stories of many women who tell the stories of these families from different perspectives, especially those who left their mark on history. If you haven’t noticed, I also love the strong female lead character 🙂

Women Who Shaped History

Philippa Gregory’s “The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels” series, which includes important dynasties in England’s history, tells us about many powerful women of that period. In these novels, we read the stories of those influential women who influenced and shaped the scene of British history. Some of these women ascended to the throne and ruled England, while others played important roles amid political intrigues, wars, and the struggles of their kings to protect their thrones. Here are some unforgettable female figures who shaped history during these periods:

• Anne Boleyn:

Anne Boleyn, who opened a new path in English history by marrying Henry VIII and led to the establishment of the Anglican Church of England, is an important figure who left her mark on the Tudor period. She was also the mother of one of the most influential female monarchs in English history, as the mother of Elizabeth I.

• Elizabeth I:

The last of the Tudor period, Elizabeth I is one of the most famous female monarchs in English history. During her reign, she strengthened England, defeated the Spanish Armada, and ushered in England’s Golden Age.

• Margaret of Anjou:

Margaret of Anjou was the French-born wife of King Henry VI and a leading figure on the Lancastrian side. During the War of the Roses, she acted on behalf of her husband, King Henry VI, and fought to retain the throne. He has been at the center of many wars and conflicts and is known as one of the leaders of the Lancastrian side.

• Margaret Beaufort: 

Mother of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty during the Plantagenet period, contributed to establishing the Tudor dynasty by ending the Plantagenet dynasty. Thanks to her determination and political skills, she brought her son to the throne.

• Catherine of Aragon:

First, the wife of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon fought to maintain the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in England and was at the center of religious changes during the Tudor period.

• Elizabeth Woodville:

Elizabeth Woodville, an important figure of the York family and queen of England, was the wife of Edward IV. Elizabeth played an influential role by making strategic moves to seize the throne of England and strengthen the Yorkist dynasty.

• Mary I:

Mary was the eldest daughter of Henry VIII and the first female ruler of England. She tried to return England to Catholicism and is famous for persecuting Protestants.

• Anne Neville:

As the daughter of the Earl of Warwick and wife of Richard III, Anne Neville was an important figure during the War of the Roses. After the death of the Earl of Warwick, Anne Neville married Richard III, bringing about the end of the Plantagenet dynasty.

These women show how influential and important their roles were in the historical scene during the Plantagenet and Tudor dynasties. These women are strong women who made great contributions to the political, religious, and social changes of those times.

Remarkable Novels: Highlighting Key Books & Characters in the Series

We are discussing a series that has been published for years, and I have found it enjoyable to read throughout the process. It will be really difficult to choose the most beautiful one. But I believe you wouldn’t be surprised if I said that I most enjoyed the story of Henry 8th and Anne Boleyn. The reason why the story became famous and became the subject of many TV series and movies is the life of Henry VIII. There are novels with many different women and angles about the Story of Henry VIII, and you can agree with all of them while reading. That’s why I think it’s valuable to read the same story from different perspectives; sometimes someone else’s happiness can arise from someone else’s grief, and sometimes everyone is right in their own story.

“En Ma Fin Est Ma Commencement – In my end is my beginning.”
― Philippa Gregory, The Other Queen

The fact that I read the books years ago was in direct proportion to the author’s publishing flow. But if I were to go back and read it again now, I would read it in the reading order suggested by the author. If we take a brief look at all of them, you can read the wonderful books of the series in the following order:

• The Lady of Rivers:

It tells the story of Jacquetta of Luxembourg and her ambitions over her family. Jacquetta’s finding a place in the Lancaster palace and her friendship with the queen shaped her life. Thanks to her mysterious powers, Jacquetta fought for her daughter, Elizabeth Woodville, who she felt would have an unexpected future.

• The White Queen:

Elizabeth Woodville lost her husband in the war and was left a widow with two children. With her mother Jacquetta’s pure ambition and “witchcraft” skills, she fell in love with King Edward IV and secretly married him. As the “White Rose” queen of the House of York, she is a mother who devotes her life to protecting Edward’s throne and family. It is an extremely fluent and impressive story with the mystery of “Princes in Tower”, whose fate in history is still unknown even today.

• The Red Queen:

A woman with one of the loveless marriages in the series is Margaret Beaufort. The Red Rose family thought that Lancaster was the true ruler of England and Margaret devoted her life to this. Disliked by her mother and ignored by her deranged cousin Henry VI, Margaret married at an early age and had a son, whom she named Henry. The story of a strong woman who had to exile her son because of a perceived threat, but devoted her life to his son and the fight to take back the throne he thought was his right.

• The Kingmaker’s Daughter:

Richard Neville Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. As the daughter of this powerful man, Anne grew up in the court of King Edward IV and the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Woodville. Anne’s life changes very quickly due to this balance of power. While her mother is in a sanctuary and her brother is married to his enemy, she is trying to realize her father’s great ambition.

• The White Princess:

The War of the Roses is over, and Henry Tudor has finally seized the crown of England. The Plantagenet period is ending, the Tudor period is on the rise. He wants to bring peace to the country by ending the war and division that has lasted for almost twenty years. He knows that for this he has to marry the rival house Princess Elizabeth of York. But the new bride is still in love with the enemy, and part of the country wants the reign of the House of York back. The new Queen Elizabeth will either support her king and her husband, the Tudor king or choose the brother of her lost king, Rose of York.

• The Constant Princess:

We are entering the About Henry VIII section with this book. Spain’s Princess Katherine of Aragon, born Catalina, was engaged to the future King of England, Prince of Wales Arthur when she was only four years old. As it came time for her to assume the role of ruler, she lost her husband at a young age and had to manage her destiny just as she was getting accustomed to the cold of England. She has only one chance for the job of queen for which she has been preparing all her life: to marry Arthur’s spoiled younger brother, Henry.

• The King’s Curse:

This story is the story of Margaret Pole, who was dethroned. The story of a woman who fought all her life for the freedom of her brother from the Tower of London. In the Tudor court, they always perceived him as a threat because he was the heir of the Plantagenet family. Although Henry VIII’s wife, Queen Katherine, was his closest friend and support, she was always seen as a threat to Henry VIII and tried to live in the shadows. When things go bad in the Tudor court, she must choose his loyalty, whether to the king or the queen. So, what was that old curse that was talked about?

• Three Sisters, Three Queens:

When Katherine of Aragon arrived as queen at the Tudor court, Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII’s elder sister, knew she had to take precautions. They were both rivals and allies. When her younger sister, Mary Tudor, became Queen of Scotland, they all knew that they had to make their way in the pages of history. Because when the time came, they all became pawns in the game that was set up. These three sisters were always connected with special bonds, perhaps with very different ties, with betrayal, danger, and loss at their door.

• The Other Boleyn Girl:

Boleyn girls were always powerful pawns in their father’s eyes. Growing up together, Mary and Anne never imagined they would one day be on opposing sides. However, for his father, they were only used to gain more power. It is one of the most popular books in the series. The first thing that caught Henry VIII’s eye was Mary. However, when the prince’s interest faded, she realized that she was just a pawn and that her sister Anne was next in line. Because of her family’s love of power, Mary told Anne how to please the king and became a rival with her sister. As she watches Anne rise, Mary now knows that she is the other Boleyn girl. But what about after?

• The Boleyn Inheritance:

The year is 1539, and that sparkling handsome prince has turned into an aging, sick king. With only a baby heir left behind in the cradle, King Henry became increasingly moody and decided to take another wife. This cursed crown reward fell to Anne of Cleves. She had her reasons for agreeing to marry in a foreign language and country. Katherine Howard, on the other hand, is caught up in the magnificence of her cousin Anne Boleyn’s life. However, her relative Jane Boleyn, who is chased by her past, does not forget that this path leads Anne to death. The story of these three women is an exciting one as they try to escape their inheritance in a time of extreme religious upheavals and political uncertainty.

• The Taming of the Queen:

King Henry wants another wife, and Kateryn Parr has no choice. A thirty-year-old widow with a boyfriend has no choice but to follow the order given to her. The situation she finds herself in is a really difficult job, being the sixth wife of the king who buried four of his wives. The king adores his new wife, but the new queen is a religious reform leader. The queen, who does not hesitate to have her ideas listened to, is an independent woman who poses a threat to England’s traditional churchmen. But will Kateryn be able to protect herself from the fate of the king’s wives?

• The Queen’s Fool:

England is going through such times that, at a time when a woman can easily be burned as a heretic or a witch, spying on the queen is a very difficult option for a young woman. Especially if this woman is a Jewish young girl who escaped from the Inquisition. After the death of Henry VIII in the Tudor palace, Princess Mary comes to the palace to watch over Tudor by the handsome Robert Dudley. Amidst a lifelong feud between the rival daughters of Henry VIII, Hannah struggles to find a path to safety.

• The Virgin’s Lover:

Long Live Queen! The new queen, Elizabeth I, faces two of her greatest challenges. Scotland is under threat and the queen must marry immediately as her expectation of an heir is high. But the queen is passionately involved in an affair with Robert Dudley, who is already married. Neither his uncle nor Dudley’s wife intends to support this relationship or seek a divorce. How important was this love triangle for England and how would history write about the queen? Another wonderful historical novel with a series of unexpected events.

• The Last Tudor:

Jane Grey’s was perhaps one of the most unfortunate. She was queen of England for only nine days. Following the death of his cousin the king, he ascended to the throne in front of his father, her supporters, and the king’s half-sister Mary. It didn’t take long for Mary to gather her army and depose him. Jane’s fate also infected her sister Katherine, to whom she gave the advice “Learn to die”. Queen Mary, insecure and barren of her lineage, was sent to the tower because of Katherine’s beauty and secret marriage and pregnancy. The youngest Grey, Mary, has suddenly become a threatening heiress. She also tries to manage her destiny.

• The Other Queen:

Mary, Queen of Scots, who escaped from the rebels in Scotland with the false promise of shelter from Queen Elizabeth, finds herself imprisoned under the name of “guest”. Soon, George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick, turned their house into the center of intrigues and rebellions against Elizabeth.

I’m talking about a long series where even short summaries are long. I believe that anyone who reads a book from this series will find the other books intriguing. A wonderful historical fiction series of fifteen novels published between 2001 and 2017, spread over a wide period. Of course, when I review the novels on Goodreads, I’m not surprised to find that “The Other Boleyn Girl” is the most reviewed book. In second place is “The White Queen” and in third place is “The Constant Princess”.

The Magical Connection: Adapting the Novels to the Screen

Readers on Goodreads review and read books primarily from very enlightened parts of history. But it is quite obvious that the adaptation series published on Netflix and various online platforms also has a significant impact on this popularity. As someone who watched the series many years after reading the books, I adored the series. Beautiful decorations, a historical texture, and a slightly gray England view, it is wonderful to watch.

The film The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) ranks high as one of his most famous productions. The fact that Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman share the leading roles and have beautiful acting and scenes in the movie is very effective in this popularity. Additionally, the high-budget Hollywood production attracted attention. However, critics have also criticized this adaptation for focusing on different details regarding Anne Boleyn and for having some historical inaccuracies. Still, this is a production that has gained global popularity compared to the 2003 version of the film.

The Art of Bringing the Past to Life

As for my personal preference, the most wonderful production that tells these stories for me is the BBC production The Tudors. Yes, I know this is not an adaptation by Philippa Gregory, but if you’re interested in this part of England’s history, don’t miss it and watch it. The cast of this series, which has four seasons, is at such a point for me that I cannot even imagine other actors in their place as these historical fiction characters. I think we should all not miss these wonderful performances of Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, and Natalie Dormer. But, at the very beginning of his career when he was young, you cannot miss Henry Cavill most of all. As for this series, it is only about Henry VIII and his life.

Starz produces productions that are impossible to mention, and the first ones we mentioned are “The White Queen,” “The White Princess,” and “The Spanish Princess.” Generally, each series tells us the stories of several books by intertwining them. These adaptations are very faithful to the book and are extremely enjoyable to watch with their casting choices.

When you watch all these TV series for a long time, your walk at home involuntarily becomes steeper and you feel the urge to curtsy 🙂

Philippa Gregory’s Literary Legacy: The Enchanting Fabric of Historical Novels

One of the writers that comes to mind when it comes to historical fiction is Philippa Gregory. And so do most of the 39 books she wrote, and most of these describe Plantagenet and Tudor times. An international reputation, numerous international bestsellers, and numerous screen adaptations. If you are interested in the British monarchy, you may have come across one of these novels. The author received a degree in history at the university and completed his doctorate in 18th-century literature. While I read her novels, I can’t help but see how well she researches historical details and how there is a crazy passion for research behind it.

In my humble opinion, historical events come to life in your mind as you read, and she has an excellent talent for creating strong female characters. It takes readers on a journey through time, thanks to its ability to portray historical events and periods with words, just like a painter touches her brush to the canvas. Philippa Gregory is an author who has pushed the boundaries of the historical novel, brought the past to life, and told the history of strong women.

The Timeless Allure of History

Productions of the British monarchy have always managed to be interesting and popular. Even today, the lives of people belonging to the monarchy remain popular in magazines and with screen adaptations. Regardless of whether this topic is political or not or its reasons, related novels, and TV series/film productions have always been interesting topics for me. I think even though we know their beginnings and endings, going into the details of the stories of historical characters and reading about the fears, excitements, and emotions they might have fascinated me a lot.

I think my love for historical buildings is partly related to the fact that I studied in an old and historical high school. It’s exciting for me to think about what happened in these corridors. And to learn the details of the “possible” lives of the people whose portraits we see. It is extremely easy to experience this pleasure with Phillippa Gregory. Great examples of how even if you know the end of the story, what matters is not the beginning and the end of the Plantagenet and Tudor eras. And I think that’s one of the hardest things. It is not the destination at the end of the journey that is important, but the path itself. I end with one of the author’s quotes and wish you all a pleasant reading, whatever you are reading!

“The world hasn’t changed that much; men still rule.”
― Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl