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Crown of Blood
Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey
”Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same”. These were the words uttered by the seventeen-year-old Lady Jane Grey as she stood on the scaffold awaiting death on a cold February morning in 1554. Forced on to the throne by the great power players at court, Queen Jane reigned for just thirteen tumultuous days before being imprisoned in the Tower, condemned for high treason and executed.
In this dramatic retelling of an often-misread tale, historian and researcher Nicola Tallis explores a range of evidence that has never before been used in a biography to sweep away the many myths and reveal the moving, human story of an extraordinarily intelligent, independent and courageous young woman’.
Praise for Nicola Tallis and Crown of Blood:
Alison Weir: ‘This is a stunning debut from a young historian who deserves to be recognised as a major talent in her field. It’s history as it should be written, vivid, colourful, pacy and evocative, but – above all – authentic and based on sound and innovative research. It’s an outstanding contribution to our knowledge of Lady Jane Grey. Most warmly recommended!’
Tracy Borman: ‘Through meticulous research, Nicola Tallis pieces Lady Jane Grey’s fascinating story together, and in so doing brings this extraordinary young woman vividly to life. Engagingly written and utterly compelling throughout. A stunning debut.’
Sarah Gristwood: ‘Crown of Blood is authoritative, thoughtful and elegantly written. Telling use of original sources makes fresh and vivid – as well as moving – the story of a girl too often dismissed as a mere blank canvas onto which others could write. A genuinely impressive debut.’
Kate Williams: ‘This is a wonderful investigation of Lady Jane Grey, enlightening and gripping, full of superb research and beautifully written. Nicola Tallis gives the tragic nine day queen brilliant and fascinating life.’
Kirkus: ‘In her first book, Tallis, resident historian for Alison Weir Tours, makes an energetic case that Grey deserves more attention. Almost all existing documents cover only her final months, but Tallis does an admirable job turning up sources on her subject’s early life which concentrate on her high-ranking parents and Jane’s intense religious education; she was very pious.’
Publishers Weekly: ‘Tallis’s clear writing and well-paced narrative heighten the story’s climactic and tragic ending.’
New York Times: ‘Tallis takes this thin slice of fact and serves it up as a full banquet.’
The Tudor Enthusiast: ‘I have to say, without exaggerating, that this is the best nonfiction book I have read recently, and I literally could not put it down.’
The Spectator: ‘A stunning debut’.