Hunting the Falcon

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“A fierce, scholarly tour-de-force. . . . brilliantly shows how time, circumstance and politics combined to accelerate Anne’s triumph and tragedy." —Tina Brown, New York Times Book Review. “A sumptuous drama of lust, intrigue, and betrayal, underpinned by the harsh reality of politics.” —Amanda Foreman. This groundbreaking examination delves into one of the most dramatic marriages in Henry VIII’s courtship and the tragic fate of Anne Boleyn. The obsessive desire Henry had for Anne transformed both him and his country. Historians John Guy and Julia Fox present Anne and Henry in new ways by analyzing recent archival discoveries and correcting historical myths. They challenge the misogynistic assumptions that a sixteenth-century woman, even a queen, had little influence in a patriarchal society. Instead, they reveal Anne as a shrewd politician who guided Henry’s policies, often against his male advisers' counsel, and who he considered making a joint sovereign. The authors illustrate how Anne organized her court in innovative ways, adopting French protocols that allowed for mingling between sexes, which ultimately contributed to her political intelligence and authority, but also to her downfall. This exhilarating historical research offers a fresh perspective on a marriage that has captivated audiences for centuries, making even the most knowledgeable reader feel as if they are encountering this story anew.