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The Age of Henry VIII

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The Age of Henry VIII

By: Dale Hoak, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Dale Hoak
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About this listen

Henry VIII, who ruled England for almost four decades, provokes questions. What is greatness? How should we judge character? Who or what can be said to "make" or cause history? England's most famous king ruled an island only about the size of Pennsylvania, inhabited by fewer than three million people nearly 500 years ago - yet he remains instantly recognizable to this day, his barrel-chested and bejeweled figure immortalized by the brush of Hans Holbein the Younger.

In this series of 24 revealing lectures, an honored teacher offers an intimate portrait of the monarch who, in a recent biographer's words, "changed the heart, mind, and face of Britain more than anything between the coming of the Normans and the coming of the factory" - a despot who became an accidental great-grandfather of English-speaking democracy.

You'll learn how Henry gave Protestantism its powerful purchase in the English-speaking world and how, given Britain's later significance in world history - made possible in part by Henry himself - he must be accounted a towering figure of history. The Henry VIII who emerges from these lectures is a man of both great charm and terrifying, self-pitying ferocity. He harbored ruthless ambitions and spun grand schemes, yet in the end was shadowed by the historical irony of expectations gone awry. At the same time, you'll grasp how his reign contributed an important legacy to British history and the modern world. The revolutionary effect of the Act of Appeals was to make law itself, or the king-in-Parliament, the supreme authority. Parliamentary law became the basis of the new constitutional monarchy, and Henry's navy was the first standing military force in his day.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great Courses
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Another Great Course

I love learning about the Tudor age and this was brilliant. The lectures are given in a clear concise way although the reader does stumble now and again but this didn’t distract from my enjoyment. The chapters on Sir Thomas More were especially welcome.

Well written, well read and it’s free!

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Interesting and informative

Loved this series of lectures spanning the reign of Henry VIII. Great insight into the people and events that surrounded Henry and the decisions made. Very much enjoyed the author reading the lectures and found when he thought something amusing he’d give a chuckle as he read which was engaging.

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comprehensive and informative

I really enjoyed this course and though it sounds dated, made a few decades ago it still had a lot of interesting information

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Interesting lecture

I did Tudor’s and Stuart’s in school 45 years ago so it was fun remembering bits of the history. I’m not a David Starkey fan re Richard III and the princes in the tower and unfortunately the lecturer is most definitely a fan. However the story of Henry VIII is interesting and this gives a good overview if you want to try Wolf Hall or other historical works set in that time period.

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V Interesting history as biography

Story is told well. The anecdotes and details personal to Henry viii are very interesting, The lecturer seems completely certain on specific points around which there is abiding controversy. One example, We are told that Richard III murdered his nephews in the tower. Also the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks is given as taking place in the 1490s for some reason. Overall though it was above average

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Historically enlightening

Interesting, gives New perspektiiviä to Englands history, Heri VIII personality and understandin to common ages political situation.

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