Chronos Books is a historical non-fiction imprint. Chronos publishes real history for real people; bringing to life people, places and events in an imaginative, easy-to-digest and accessible way – histories that pass on their stories to a generation of new readers.

CHRONOS BOOKS PRESENTS

Essential Historical Author Showcase

Sarah-Beth Watkins

Growing up in Richmond, Surrey, Sarah-Beth began soaking up history from an early age. Her history books are Ireland's Suffragettes, Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII, Margaret Tudor, Catherine of Braganza, Anne of Cleves and The Tudor Brandons.

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Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII

Comprehensive account of Katherine Knollys' life, not previously explored.

Katherine Knollys was Mary Boleyn's first child, born in 1524 when Mary was having an affair with King Henry VIII.
Katherine spent her life unacknowledged as the king's daughter, yet she was given prime appointments at court as maid of honour to both Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard. She married Francis Knollys when she was 16 and went on to become mother to many successful men and women at court including Lettice Knollys who created a scandal when she married Sir Robert Dudley, the queen's favourite.
This fascinating book studies Katherine's life and times, including her intriguing relationship with Elizabeth I.

The Tudor Brandons

The Life and Times of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon. Amazon #1 Bestseller.

This fascinating book studies the life and times of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, Henry VIII's dearest sister and his closest companion. Charles rose from being Henry's childhood friend to becoming the Duke of Suffolk; a consummate courtier and diplomat. Mary was always royalty.
At first married to the King of France, Mary quickly wed Charles after Louis XII's death in 1515, against her brother's wishes. Their actions could have been construed as treason yet Henry chose to spare their lives. They returned to court and despite their ongoing disagreements throughout the years, especially over the king's marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Tudor Brandons remained Henry's most loyal subjects and perhaps more importantly, his beloved family.

Catherine of Braganza

Detailed account of the turbulent life of Catherine of Braganza, King Charles II's Restoration queen.

Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess, married Charles II in 1662 and became the merry monarch's Restoration queen. Yet life for her was not so merry - she put up with the king's many mistresses and continuous plots to remove her from the throne. She lived through times of war, plague and fire. Catherine's marriage saw many trials and tribulations including her inability to produce an heir. Yet Charles supported his queen throughout the Restoration, remaining devoted to her no matter what. Outliving her husband, she ended up back in her home country and spent her final days as queen-regent of Portugal.

Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots

The troubled life of King Henry VIII's older sister, Margaret, Queen of Scots, during the tumultuous early years of the 16th Century.

Margaret Tudor was Henry VIII's older sister and became the Queen of Scotland after her marriage to James IV in 1503. Her life was troubled and fraught with tension. She was continually caught between her country of birth and the country she ruled. After James IV’s death, she made the disastrous decision to marry the Earl of Angus, threatening her regency and forcing the Scottish council to send for the Duke of Albany to rule in her stead. Over the years, Margaret’s allegiance swung between England and Scotland, making her brother Henry VIII both her ally and her enemy at times. Although Margaret wished for peace between the two countries, these were tumultuous years and she didn’t always make the wisest choices. Yet, all she did she did for her son James V, and her absolute conviction he would rule Scotland as its rightful king.

Anne of Cleves

Anne's marriage to Henry VIII, and her life after their annulment; how Anne of Cleves, out of all the king's wives, survived him.

Anne of Cleves left her homeland in 1539 to marry the king of England. She was not brought up to be a queen, yet out of many possible choices she was the bride Henry VIII chose as his fourth wife. But, from their first meeting the king decided he liked her not and sought an immediate divorce. After just six months their marriage was annulled, leaving Anne one of the wealthiest women in England. This is the story of Anne's marriage to Henry, how the daughter of Cleves survived him and her life afterwards.

The latest in the series of popular Tudor biographies from Sarah-Beth Watkins, author of Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII

The Tragic Daughters of Charles I

The lives of Mary, Elizabeth & Henrietta Anne, the tragic daughters of Charles I.

Mary, Elizabeth and Henrietta Anne, the daughters of King Charles I and his queen, Henrietta Maria, would be brought up against the background of the English Civil War. Mary would marry William, Prince of Orange, and be sent to live in the Netherlands. Elizabeth would remain in England under Parliamentary control. Henrietta Anne would escape to France and be the darling of the French Court. Yet none of the Stuart princesses would live to reach thirty.

The Tragic Daughters of Charles I is their story.

Chronos Books presents the latest in a series of historical royal biographies by Sarah-Beth Watkins, author of Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII

Sir Francis Bryan

The life of Henry VIII's most notorious ambassador, who, unlike many who served the second Tudor monarch, managed to keep his head.

Sir Francis Bryan was Henry VIII's most notorious ambassador and one of his closest companions. Bryan was a man of many talents; jouster, poet, rake and hell-raiser, gambler, soldier, sailor and diplomat. He served his king throughout his life and unlike many of the other men who served Henry VIII, Bryan kept his head and outlived his sovereign.

This book tells the story of his life from coming to court at a young age through all his diplomatic duties to his final years in Ireland.

The latest book from the best-selling author of Lady Katherine Knollys: The Unacknowledged Daughter of King Henry VIII

Elizabeth I's Last Favourite

In Elizabeth I's Last Favourite, Sarah-Beth Watkins brings to life the story of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, the young upstart courtier who was the stepson of her most famous love, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.

Despite widespread interest in Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, little has been written about him in decades past. In Elizabeth I's Last Favourite, Sarah-Beth Watkins brings the story of his life, and death, back into the public eye.

In the later years of Elizabeth I's reign, Robert Devereux became the ageing queen's last favourite. The young upstart courtier was the stepson of her most famous love, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Although he tried, throughout his life, to live up to his stepfather's memory, Essex would never be the man he was. His love for the queen ran in tandem with undercurrents of selfishness and greed. Yet, Elizabeth showered him with affection, gifts and the tolerance only a mother could have for an errant son. In return, for a time, Essex flattered her and pandered to her every whim.

But, one disastrous commission after another befell the earl, from his military campaigns, to voyages seeking treasure, to his stint as spymaster. Ultimately, his relationship with the queen would suffer and his final act of rebellion would force Elizabeth I to ensure her last favourite troubled her no more.

Chronos Crime Chronicles - The Death of Amy Robsart

In September 1560, Amy Robsart, wife of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs, at the age of twenty-eight. Sinister rumours ensued. Was it an accident, suicide or murder?

Amy Robsart was the wife of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, later Earl of Leicester. In September 1560, she was found dead, her neck broken, at the bottom of a flight of stairs at Cumnor Place. Amy was twenty-eight when she died and her marriage to Dudley had been one of great absences and loneliness.

Some said she was ill, others that she was desperate. More sinister rumours talked of murder. In this book we look at Amy's unsolved death and examine who had motive to commit such a dark deed. Was it an accident, suicide or murder?

The Death of Amy Robsart is the first volume in an exciting new historical true crime series from Chronos Books.

Coming soon from Chronos books

The Flying Springbok

Despite the odds, it is one of the world's longest-surviving and most fascinating airlines.

An artistic rendering of the African antelope, the Springbok, was depicted with stylized wings to serve as the logo of South African Airways (SAA) for well over 60 years. It was replaced by a new corporate identity when the airline was rebranded after the demise of apartheid, the release of Nelson Mandela from political incarceration, and the introduction of a non-racist democratic society in South Africa in the mid-nineties. As a state-owned entity, many people once saw SAA as the 'apartheid airline.' For a time, travel on board its aircraft was restricted to whites only, but this was later changed to include members of all the country's diverse racial groups. SAA pioneered flight throughout Africa during the colonial era, long before airports, supply services, radio and weather forecasting capabilities even existed. Its staff and equipment served with the Allies in Europe and North Africa during WWII and it met the enormous challenge of having to circumvent African airspace when flying to destinations abroad after most African nations closed their skies to it in protest against the country's racist policies in the early sixties.

Over the years the airline grew into one of the world's major domestic, regional, and international carriers. Its long history was eventually terminated and replaced by a new entity in 2020 with the the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. In its original incarnation it could proudly boast of being one of the world's oldest and longest-surviving international carriers. It is still seen by many around the world as the airline with that much revered and fondly remembered emblem, the Flying Springbok.