The second novel of Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy, Bring Up the Bodies describes the downfall and execution of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. Anne was beheaded for the crime of treason, not merely infidelities. Four courtiers were also beheaded, which was considered a merciful death, as opposed to hanging, followed by having your guts sliced out while still alive. Beheading was a swift form of death, as the French executioner says, your spirit is gone between one heartbeat and the next. At minimum, Anne engaged in questionable conversations with treasonous statements, and entertained courtiers who appealed to her in private at night. At worst, she actually engaged in sexual relations with some or all of these men, and her ladies-in-waiting were eager to offer testimony to Cromwell about all they saw and heard in her chambers. She was never thought to be an honorable, chaste spouse; rather it was believed that she attracted Henry with whorish sexual tricks learned at the French court, and was ambitious to become Queen and have her child be heir to the throne.

While Anne and Henry are fascinating in their own right, the trilogy is mainly about Thomas Cromwell, a common man who becomes Henry’s most trusted confident, his fixer. Whatever Henry desires, it falls to Cromwell to make it so, regardless of the hurdles and barriers. Cromwell is very effective, with many tools in his toolkit for getting people to do or say what he needs to meet the King’s ends. His commonality with Anne is intriguing; both are effective and ambitious, both claim to be in service to the King, but Anne goes too far, grows to complacent, thinks she is more powerful and untouchable than was true. She was disliked, had powerful enemies, and underestimated the importance of public favor. Cromwell himself must be careful going forward; he has made enemies in getting the King’s task accomplished. Henry’s memory for what he commands and desires is short, and he takes paths that he fails to recall the steps that lead to a particular place. Cardinal Woolsey failed to get what Henry wanted in ending his marriage with Katherine, which led to Woolsey’s downfall. Cromwell will not let that happen, and does what is necessary to rid Henry of Anne, and remove that impediment to Henry’s pursuit of Jane Seymour, his next choice for wife.

As Cromwell gains power and prestige with Henry, so too his position grows more precarious, more dangerous; his list of enemies grows, and those royal families who resent his climb could turn on him, close ranks, and lead to his end. Talent, ambition, and a bit of luck—how long will it hold out for Cromwell? If only a wife would give Henry a healthy male heir, his position would be much safer. This is where luck is needed. I am excited to next read The Mirror & The Light, the third novel in this trilogy. I know that cannot end well for Cromwell; he did not simply retire and live his old age peacefully. No one, as a commoner achieved what Cromwell did in Tudor England, and certainly no one lived to tell the tale in old age. He is a man of singular drive and intelligence, during a dangerous time in English history. I encourage you to take this Tudor journey, and I hope to report back soon on the third novel.