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Title: The Beaufort Bride

Author: Judith Arnopp

Narrator: Tessa Petersen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-22-18

Publisher: Judith Arnopp

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

As King Henry VI slips into insanity and the realm of England teeters on the brink of civil war, a child is married to the mad king's brother. Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, takes his child bride into Wales, where she discovers a land of strife and strangers.

At Caldicot Castle and Lamphey Palace, Margaret must put aside childhood, acquire the dignity of a Countess, and, despite her tender years, produce Richmond with a son and heir.

While Edmund battles to restore the king's peace, Margaret quietly supports his quest; but it is a quest fraught with danger.

As the friction between York and Lancaster intensifies, 14-year-old Margaret, now widowed, turns for protection to her brother-in-law, Jasper Tudor. At his stronghold in Pembroke, two months after her husband's death, Margaret gives birth to a son whom she names Henry, after her cousin, the king.

Margaret is small of stature, but her tiny frame conceals a fierce and loyal heart and a determination that will not falter until her son's destiny as the king of England is secured.

The Beaufort Bride traces Margaret's early years from her nursery days at Bletsoe Castle to the birth of her only son in 1457 at Pembroke Castle. Her story continues in book two, The Beaufort Woman.

Members Reviews:

Well worth reading.

Before reading this book, I had a scant knowledge of Margaret Beaufort's childhood. I knew she was married too young, gave birth to Henry V11, was a possessive mother who had ambitions for her son, and was the mother-in-law from Hell to Elizabeth of York. Judith Arnopp has done a great job with her research to write this book, seeing the knowledge is sketchy to say the least. She gives her characters depth in that she endows them with emotions that make them human. Of course, nobody knows what they thought or how they reacted to these situations - all of this is supposition. Judith Arnopp portrays Margaret Beaufort as a child with royal connections and very marketable assets. She was a pawn in the game of power and ambition. The submission of women and girls was assumed as natural. Men were the dominating force and Margaret was something to be used to attain power . In medieval times it wasn't seen as cruel to marry a girl of barely 11/12 to a mature man like Edmond Tudor. For him to consummate the marriage because he wanted a heir seems barbaric, but not in those days. That was a female's role, however young. Margaret endured a horrific birth because she was too immature to have a child with the result she could never produce another. It's a wonder she didn't die. As she managed to survive, this may have been to her eventual advantage, as she lived to old age. Childbirth was the great killer of women in her day. I felt the book was a little fanciful, that's why I gave it 4 rather than 5 stars. Margaret Arnopp assumes she had great fondness for her husband - but would she after such suffering? The book was entertaining and I've ordered The Beaufort Woman, so that speaks for itself. Thanks to The Beaufort Bride, I learned a few unknown facts about Margaret Beaufort. I hope they are right and not conjecture. If you like Tudor history, you will enjoy this book.

her relationship with Edmund just as sweet.