The King's Mother by Judith Arnopp

The King’s Mother

The Life of Lady Margaret Beaufort

The Beaufort Chronicles Book 3

by Judith Arnopp

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‘Arnopp is one of those writers who can make history come alive.’

October 1485
Richard III is dead. With the English crown finally in his possession, Henry Tudor’s reign is hindered by continuing unrest.

While the king is plagued with uprisings and pretenders to his throne, Margaret in her capacity as The King’s Mother oversees the running of his court.

The warring houses of York and Lancaster are united but as the royal nursery fills with children Margaret’s expectation of perfect harmony begins to disintegrate.

As quickly as Henry dispatches those whose move against him, new conflicts arise and, dogged by deceit and the harrowing shadow of death, Margaret realises that her time for peace has not yet come.

Intrigue, treason and distrust blights the new Tudor dynasty, challenging Margaret’s strength of character and her steadfast faith in God.

The King’s Mother is the third and final book in The Beaufort Chronicles, tracing the life of Margaret Beaufort.

A Word from the Author

I wrote the final book of The Beaufort Chronicle during a difficult time in my life and it is only now, looking back that I’m able to see how I channelled my own grief and anger into Margaret’s character but … she was experiencing a string of similar issues. We suffered together.

With Richard III vanquished at the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor now wears the crown of England. Margaret is honoured at court as The Lady Margaret Beaufort, the King’s Mother and as the king’s chief advisor, is the most powerful person in England beneath the king. If Margaret imagines the struggle for the crown is over she is very wrong, for the supporters of York refuse to lie quietly beneath the new Tudor regime.

As one pretender after another comes forward to contest the throne, Henry and Margaret must do all they can to protect the inheritance of the heirs, Arthur and Henry, and the other members of the increasing royal nursery.

As battle, conflict, and rebellions put Henry’s relationship with Elizabeth of York under pressure, a pretender, claiming to be the youngest prince of York, is captured and brought to court. With Henry, Elizabeth and Margaret increasingly stressed, death visits the royal nursery … and the death of a child is the worst of all.

During the king’s last illness, although she is fourteen years his senior, Margaret steps in as regent, and on his death she puts aside her grief to guide her grandson, Henry VIII, during the first months of his reign until he reaches his majority. Then, and only then, worn out by a lifetime of fighting, Margaret dies.

Margaret Beaufort was no beauty, she was intelligent, and she was pious. These attributes do not lend themselves to the creation of an appealing female protagonist but I’ve always celebrated brains before beauty. Margaret Beaufort was a force to be reckoned with. She was shrewd and she was also undeniably awesome. You have got to read her story.

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Books One to Three of The Beaufort Chronicle trace Margaret Beaufort’s journey from an innocent child to the most powerful person in England.

(Judith Arnopp, November 2019)