Henry VIII.

From the second son, who was not born to rule…

To the man and king he became.

Alison Weir's most ambitious Tudor novel to date tells the captivating story of a man who was by turns brilliant, romantic, and cruel and ruthless: the story of a Renaissance king who changed the face of England forever.

The second-born Prince Henry grows up in royal palaces, dreaming of tournaments and brave deeds that would match the knights of the King Arthur legends – and of the golden age of kings that awaits his older brother. But the untimely death of the first-born Arthur unexpectedly makes him King of England.

As his power grows, Henry begins to fight an internal battle between reason and emotion, love and duty. He rules as an all-powerful king, anointed by God, but his prayers for the birth of a son go unanswered for years.

The great future of the Tudor dynasty depends on the existence of heirs, and the heavy burden of duty to produce them will ultimately shape the course of history.