Edward VI: The Lost King of England

Author: Chris Skidmore

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

The premise was interesting - so much has been written about Mary and Elizabeth, but hardly anything about Edward. I was disappointed, however, because there were many sections that seemed to serve no purpose except to provide filler. Discussing Katherine Parr would have been relevant in regards to her relationship with Edward, but the back-story of her life after Henry wasn't necessary. As he was not able to rule on his own due to his age, the title is misleading; it focuses also on the main political figures surrounding Edward. That and the general lack of information about Henry's longed-for heir make this more a study of the time period, not just Edward's reign. I did find the discussion about possible causes of death interesting - from possibly being poisoned to contracting TB, there are a few theories. Edward could have been a great king had he lived, or he could have been a tyrant. We will never know, and nothing in this text gave a real indication as to which direction his reign might have gone. Still, I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the Tudor time period, you might learn something new.

Additionally:

I always had a problem with the title. Edward VI was not lost or misplaced, he simply died very young. You want to talk about a 'lost' king, let's look at Edward V, one of the 'Princes in the Tower', son of Edward IV, likely murdered on the order of his uncle, Richard III. Now THAT is lost.