Root Of The Tudor Rose

1421: Henry V and his young bride, Catherine de Valois, are blessed with the birth of a son – but their happiness is short-lived. Catherine is widowed and when her father, the French king, also dies, her son inherits the crowns of France and England. Just ten months old, Henry VI needs all his mother’s watchful care to protect him from political intrigue. But Catherine is a foreigner at the English Court. Lonely and vulnerable, she is held in suspicion by those with their own claims to the throne. Only with another outsider, a young Welshman named Owen Tudor, does Catherine find true friendship but their liaison must be kept secret at all costs. Catherine, Queen of England is forbidden to remarry and she is in love with a servant...

One woman holds the key to England's most glorious empire in this intimate retelling of the launch of the Tudor dynasty A magnificent portrait of Elizabeth of York, set against the dramatic background of fifteenth century England. Elizabeth, the only living descendant of Edward IV, has the most valuable possession in all of England—a legitimate claim to the crown. Two princes battle to win Britain's most rightful heiress for a bride and her kingdom for his own. On one side is her uncle Richard, the last Plantagenet King, whom she fears is the murderer of her two brothers, the would-be kings. On the other side is Henry Tudor, the exiled knight. Can he save her from a horrifying marriage to a cut-throat soldier? Thrust into the intrigue and drama of the War of the Roses, Elizabeth has a country within her grasp—if she can find the strength to unite a kingdom torn apart by a thirst for power. A richly drawn tale of the woman who launched one of the most dramatic dynasties England has ever seen, The Tudor Rose is a vibrant, imaginative look at the power of a queen.

In 16th-century England, two teenage best friends find themselves on an exciting journey from the country to the Queen's court in the hope of being named ladies-in-waiting. But Sybille and Rose soon discover they aren't the only girls who have their sights set on attending Her Majesty. The girls must compete against worldly and cunning opponents, among them mean-girl Avis and her entourage of back-stabbing co-horts, tipping the balance in their already-tenuous friendship. Soon, the grand hall is more like the hallway of a prestigious finishing school, with girls fighting for the attention of a dashing, young earl, amid parties fueled by drinking and indiscriminate dalliances. As the tension between Sybille and Avis heats up, the focus on Rose wanes, allowing her to turn her attention to more important matters &– like getting close enough to the Queen to learn her secrets. But being close to the Queen is not without its challenges. And when rumors of Rose's influence make their way around the castle, no one, not even the Queen, will be safe.

The captivating new historical novel from Alison Weir, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series . 'With Elizabeth of York, Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins and is historical fiction at its absolute best' TRACY BORMAN 'One of the great women of history... History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' CONN IGGULDEN --- Mother. Survivor. Queen. --- AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES. Eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten. Her family's enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power - and vows to make Elizabeth his queen. But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster - and change everything. A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies - and husband - wisely, and fight for her right to rule. --- PRAISE FOR THE SIX TUDOR QUEENS SERIES: 'This series is a serious achievement' The Times 'Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life' Guardian 'This brilliant series has brought Henry VIII's six wives to life as never before' Tracy Borman 'Profoundly moving... lingers long after the last page' Elizabeth Fremantle 'Well researched and engrossing' Good Housekeeping 'Vivid characters and a wonderful sense of time and place' Barbara Erskine 'Hugely enjoyable . . . Alison Weir knows her subject and has a knack for the telling and textural detail' Daily Mail