The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor

Elizabeth I, Thomas Seymour, and the Making of a Virgin Queen

By: Elizabeth Norton

Narrated by: Sarah Nichols

A power-hungry courtier and an impressionable young princess: The Tudor court had never been more perilous for the young Elizabeth, where rumors had the power to determine her fate.

England, late 1547. King Henry VIII is dead. His 14-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, is living with the king's widow, Catherine Parr, and her new husband, Thomas Seymour. Seymour is the brother of Henry VIII's third wife, the late Jane Seymour, who was the mother to the now-ailing boy king.

Ambitious and dangerous, Seymour begins an overt flirtation with Elizabeth that ends with Catherine sending her away. When Catherine dies a year later and Seymour is arrested for treason soon after, a scandal explodes. Alone and in dreadful danger, Elizabeth is threatened by supporters of her half-sister, Mary, who wishes to see England return to Catholicism. She is also closely questioned by the king's regency council due to her place in the line of succession. Was she still a virgin? Was there a child? Had she promised to marry Seymour?

Under pressure, Elizabeth shows the shrewdness and spirit she would later be famous for. She survives the scandal. Thomas Seymour is not so lucky. The "Seymour Scandal" led to the creation of the persona of the Virgin Queen. On hearing of Seymour's beheading, Elizabeth observed, "This day died a man of much wit, and very little judgment." She would never allow her heart to rule her head again.

©2016 Elizabeth Norton (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Very interesting but...

I learned a great deal about the circumstances of Elizabeth 1 coming to power but not so much of her. That’s the only reason for 4 stars.

interesting, but...

It's less about Elizabeth and more about Thomas Seymour.
Never the less it was an interesting book on the times.

A nice listen.... but

This was a great listen for anyone who is already familiar or interested in Queen Elizabeth I or the Tudors. It is not a novel as much as a biography. I found it interesting for sure but it does not have the language for flow of a novel. I have read over 100 books on the Tudors so this information just expanded on things I have already known. I would recommend if you are looking for information but not if you are looking for drama, and the feel of a novel.

I get the complaints

This is a book for someone who knows everything about Elizabeth the first. If you come into this book entry level yes you will be disappointed. So start with reading something else if you have a complaint because this book was absolutely mesmerizing to me. I didn’t think anyone could explain something I didn’t know before about the affair with Thomas Seymour. If you know you know… This is absolutely worth the listen for the right audience.

EYE OPENER

A pleasure to read, with brand new facts about the sociopath Tudor clan and Elizabeth specifically. A must read that will clear the fog on this very clever queen-child, and the heads that fell long before she became queen. Longshanks could not hold a candle to her when it came to manipulation.