Description
Each Tudor monarch made their name with a Dudley by their side – or by crushing one beneath their feet…
The Dudleys thrived at the court of Henry VII, but were sacrificed to the popularity of Henry VIII.
Rising to prominence in the reign of Edward VI, the Dudleys lost it all by advancing Jane Grey to the throne over Mary I.
That was until the reign of Elizabeth I, when the family were once again at the centre of power, and would do anything to remain there…
With three generations of felled favourites, what was it that caused this family to keep rising so high and falling so low?
Here, for the first time, is the story of England’s Borgias, a noble house competing in the murderous game of musical chairs around the English throne.
Witness cunning, adultery and sheer audacity from history’s most brilliant, bold and skulduggerous family.
Welcome to the House of Dudley.
‘A pacy narrative, vividly written, makes you want to read on and on. Joanne Paul is a major new talent in the field’ – Alison Weir
‘Breathes new life into an old and familiar Tudor story…It’s delightful, a joy to read’ – The Times
‘A thrilling and deeply researched study of power and conspiracy: the rise and fall of the other Tudor dynasty. The House of Dudley illuminates the fascinating men and women who almost became kings and queens in their own right’ – Simon Sebag-Montefiore
‘Rich and compelling. Conjures up the look and feel of Tudor life…you will find yourself drawn in, fascinated, and richly informed’ – Telegraph
‘Vivid, innovative and authoritative. I could not recommend The House of Dudley more highly. It’s a real lesson in how to revitalise the writing of Tudor history’ – Sarah Gristwood
‘A full-blooded affair, as good on the horrors of war as it is on the soft power of the Dudley women, and written in a lively, episodic style that presents each Dudley as a foil to the monarch they served’ – Jesse Childs
‘A tour-de-force of Tudor history, as seen through the eyes of a family with a front-row view of almost every major political event in sixteenth-century England. Remarkable’ – Dan Jones
‘Exciting and immersive. An immensely entertaining history, capturing in full Tudor brilliance the cut-throat glamour of the English throne and the most audacious family to play its game’ – Sunday Times
‘This is riveting stuff: death, desire, power and scandal. Game of Thrones looks tame compared with the real-life machinations of the Dudleys’ – Spectator
‘A twist on the Tudors…enormously entertaining – a sheer joy to read’ – The Times
