{"product_id":"9780007219322","title":"Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat makes a man marry six times? Was Henry VIII a voracious philanderer? On the contrary, says Dr David Starkey, the King was seeking happiness – as well as hoping for a son.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first of his wives was Catherine of Aragon, the pious Catholic princess who suffered years of miscarriages and still births and yet failed to produce a male heir.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Henry VIII's interest shifted from her powerful Hapsburg relations and drifted towards France, so began his obsession with the pretty Lutheran Anne Boleyn.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJane Seymour's submissiveness was in contrast to Anne's vampish style – and Henry married her on the day of Anne's execution. Jane died soon after giving birth to the longed-for son.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere followed a farcical 'beauty contest' which ended in the short marriage of the now grossly overweight Henry to 'the mare of Flanders', Anne of Cleves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe final part of Six Wives contrasts the two Catherines – Catherine Howard, the flirty child whose adulteries made a fool of the ageing King, and Catherine Parr, the shrewd, religiously radical bluestocking.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Starkey, the Sunday Times bestselling author, delves into the intricate history of Henry VIII's marriages, painting a vivid picture of a man in search of happiness and a male heir. The bestselling book Six Wives is a testament to Starkey's prowess as a historian and author.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Tracy Borman (Anne Boleyn \u0026amp; Elizabeth I), Alison Weir (Against Our Better Judgment), Marc Morris (Castles), Ian Mortimer (Medieval Horizons), and Antonia Fraser (Lady Caroline Lamb).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Starkey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46889118924949,"sku":"9780007219322","price":26.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780007219322.jpg?v=1776888149","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780007219322","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}