The ascension of Henry VIII was greeted with rapture by his subjects: young, handsome, and open-handed, the new King seemed the antithesis of his careful and suspicious father. Yet this glamorous exterior only partially disguised the unpredictable and savagely ruthless nature of the King, and, as his reign developed, these traits were to become increasingly evident. Henry’s desperate efforts to father a legitimate male heir for his kingdom led him to marry six times, to make himself Supreme Head of the English Church as well as absolute ruler of the state.
Robert Lacey traces the story of this controversial figure from his vigorous youth to gross and immobile old age, as a man who, despite his cruelty, could inspire men with loyalty and devotion to the end.

Robert Lacy was educated at Bristol Grammar School and Selwyn College, Cambridge. In 1971, his widely praised first book was published, Robert, Earl of Essex, an Elizabethan Icarus. He achieved international acclaim with his celebrated biography of Elizabeth, Majesty.

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