Jane Parker was the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn. Executed alongside Katherine Howard, her life has been shrouded in myths, with historical accounts portraying her as a jealous, malicious woman. Her real story deserves to be told in full.
Jane Parker was the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn. Executed alongside Katherine Howard, her life has been shrouded in myths, with historical accounts portraying her as a jealous, malicious woman. Her real story deserves to be told in full.
Great britain, Royalty, Women
Jane Parker, later Viscountess Rochford, was the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn and was executed alongside Katherine Howard, yet she has remained in the shadows throughout the years, surrounded by more myths than facts. She is often portrayed as a malicious woman who was jealous of her husband's relationship with his sister, but the evidence does not support that. So why is she portrayed as such? It may be the ambiguous nature of her dealings with Henry VIII's fifth queen, Katherine Howard, that have influenced our view of her, but her real story deserves to be told in full.
Jane Parker: The Downfall of Two Tudor Queens? is the next instalment in an exciting new historical true crime series from Chronos Books.
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Jane Parker, better known as Lady Rochford, the sister-in-law of Anne Boleyn has always interested me. She has been blamed for betraying two queens for centuries, and she is generally portrayed in TV series and novels as a rather scheming, nasty woman. Charlie Fenton, who runs the Through the Eyes of Anne Boleyn blog, makes a good case for her defence in this short, but fascinating and well-researched book. I also enjoyed the details of life at court, and the lives of the ladies-in-waiting. Her friendship with Henry VII's daughter Mary is also interesting. This is well-worth reading if you like historical biographies, especially the Tudors. ~ Lisa Sanderson, Book Addiction
'This book was really well researched by the author, Charlie Fenton, who very clearly wants to give Jane Parker a favourable representation. It gives readers the opportunity to read about and change their view of Jane Parker, who is often poorly portrayed in other non-fictional and fictional depictions, for her involvement in the downfall of both Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard.' ~ Leanne (Reading with Leanne), https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3921963937?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
'The book is well–researched and the author clearly has a passion to represent Jane and tell her story. The book is quite short, but that is because there is not a wealth of information on Jane, and there are some really lovely snippets within its pages, such as maids of honour being permitted one servant and a spaniel!' 'If you are interested in the Tudor court and keen to read more about Jane Parker Boleyn, this is definitely a book to have on your bookshelf. There are certainly arguments within the book where perhaps an opposite case could be argued to present a different view of Jane than the one that the author is presenting, but then that is exactly what the author is in fact herself arguing – that Jane is often presented in a certain light and why not explore and look at her actions from a different viewpoint.' ~ Tudors Dynasty, https://tudorsdynasty.com/book-review-jane-parker-the-downfall-of-two-tudor-queens-by-charlie-fenton/
Fenton's meticulous research and careful analysis upends the myths and distortions that have dogged one of history's biggest scapegoats. Her engaging and lively prose brings to life the true Lady Rochford and seeks to demolish all the lies we've been told about her over the last five centuries. A must-read: Jane Boleyn, née Parker, has found another champion. ~ Adrienne Dillard, author of The Raven's Widow
