The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power

In this “immersive tale of Tudor intrigue” (Publishers Weekly), the New York Times bestselling author of The Last White Rose explores the rise of Thomas Wolsey, who was Henry VIII’s chief adviser—until the king accused him of treason.

“Henry VIII’s beloved cardinal leaps from the page in all his brilliance, complexity, and humanity. Fans of Wolf Hall have a treat in store.”—Tracy Borman, author of Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey enjoyed one of the most meteoric careers in history. His rise from humble beginnings coincided with young Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne in 1509. The two grew to be cherished friends, and by 1515 Wolsey, now a cardinal, had become the controlling figure in all matters of church and state.

Wolsey operated on an international stage and worked hard to broker universal peace. All was going dazzlingly well until Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn—the woman whom Wolsey would one day call “the night crow”—and sought to end his marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Swept up in the maelstrom of “the Divorce,” Wolsey, who had successfully given his master everything he wanted, found himself in an impossible situation. As he drew the ire of the future queen, the cardinal found his privileged life and his relationship with Henry crumbling around him.

Alison Weir’s poignant novel tells the story of Wolsey the man—his incredible rise to power and his tragic fall. She delves beyond the splendor and political machinations of the Tudor court to reveal the secrets of Wolsey’s private life, the mistress and children he was devoted to, and the tragedy that overtook them. It is a tale of two women, one who loved him and one who hated him—and also a tale of two men, king and commoner, the special, deep-rooted bonds that brought them together and the forces that drove them apart.

About the Author :
Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of The King’s Pleasure, The Last White Rose, and the novels in the Six Tudor Queens series: Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife; Katheryn Howard, The Scandalous Queen; Anna of Kleve, The Princess in the Portrait; Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen; Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession; and Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen. She has also written numerous earlier novels and historical biographies, including her ongoing series, England’s Medieval Queens.

Review :
“Weir delivers an insightful tale of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s rise to power, his friendship with Henry VIII, and the ways in which both men’s lives are complicated by their love affairs . . . An immersive tale of Tudor intrigue.”—Publishers Weekly

“A compelling tale of one of Tudor England’s most powerful and fascinating men . . . Henry VIII’s beloved cardinal leaps from the page in all his brilliance, complexity, and humanity—a man who served his king as passionately as he loved his mistress. Nobody brings historical characters to life like Alison Weir, with her instinct for illuminating period detail and dramatic storytelling. Fans of Wolf Hall have a treat in store.”—Tracy Borman, author of Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

“Cardinal Wolsey bursts forth in all his vivid color and ingenuity in Alison Weir’s gripping new book; she takes us deep into the heart of Tudor England and the world of Henry VIII’s divorce. Illuminating, emotional, fascinating—you’re right there with Wolsey until the end.”—Kate Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Queen

“Providing readers with a gloriously human account of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Alison Weir’s The Cardinal is a triumph. We follow Wolsey from his humble origins in Ipswich through his rise from Oxford scholar to become a prince of the church and Henry VIII’s chief minister. Through Weir’s evocative prose we are taken into Wolsey’s world, with his inevitable fall as heartbreaking as his rise was exhilarating.”—Elizabeth Norton, author of The Hidden Lives of Tudor Women

“When picking up an Alison Weir novel, the reader is guaranteed never to be disappointed, but The Cardinal is in a league of its own. In this pacy narrative, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey becomes more than just a historical figure—his personality and the twists and turns of his rise and fall leap from every page. Weir is to be applauded for her unrivaled ability to provide her readers with a story that is both meticulously researched and skillfully executed. In so doing she has introduced us to a Wolsey who is human—a Wolsey who, in many ways, we have never seen before. . . . A remarkable achievement.”—Nicola Tallis, author of Young Elizabeth