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Historical Tudor Women: Queens & Commoners by Alison Plowden $6.50 / Sutton Pulb. / 1998 Due to the patriarchal quality of Tudor society, it is not possible to divorce the ladies entirely from the overshadowing men of the time, but Plowden makes an honest attempt here by giving us a satiny ride on the rollercoaster that was the life of the melodramatic women of the Tudor dynasty. Tudor Women begins by discussing Margaret Beaufort, an indomitable, pious, and resourceful woman who maneuvered her son into a position to become the first Tudor king of England. Her presence dominated his court for 20 years, setting precedents for everything from religious odservances to the protocol governing royl childbirth. Almost immediately after Margaret's death, Henry VIII's wives dance onto the stage, each as distinct and fascinating as the next, and Plowden tries to give us a sense of who these wmen were in their own rights, not just as exensions of their liege. Next, Jane Grey briefly haunts the manuscript, her unfulfilled promise the first blot on the hopelessly smudged career of Queen Mary I, who demands our pity even as we stand horrified at the merciless religious persecutions she waged in the name of mercy. It would be difficult to produce new insights into Elizabeth I, and neither does Plowden, thus making Elizabeth's reign perhaps the one disappointing chapter of the book. Her wit, political savvy, intellect, and mercurial temper are given rather short shrif as we view her mostly from the standpoint of a potential marital bargaining chip in her own endless fening with her fellow monarchs. Unfortunately, there is no explicaion of her funding of forays to the New World or her dealings with Philip of Spain-rather, Plowden dwells upon Elizabeth's determination to stay single. Still, no one can claim that these facets of her life are not fascinating. A final chapter on Tudor women in general, including their lives and place in society, is enlightening and as well-written as anything in the book. In sum, Plowden successfully offers an illuminating portrait of the fascinating and powerful Tudor women. —Anjuli MacDonald of Clanranald

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