In our modern times of a peaceful British monarchy, where succession is rigidly determined, and the monarch is largely without power beyond symbolic value, the struggles of Tudor England can lose their relatability for us. However, the battles of the Houses of Plantagenet, Tudor, Lancaster, York, and finally, Stuart, were a stressful and bloody affair, lasting hundreds of years. Bloody for all of society, each House with righteous claims on the Throne, and each bringing an enforced state religion that required an oath, and where one may be convicted based on flimsy hearsay. Many heads were lost, bodies torn apart while the owners were still alive. Burning while alive was reserved for heretics, while treason was punished with partial hanging, then having one’s guts torn out for public view while the person was still alive. Beheadings were considered a merciful death, granted only for nobles by the monarch.

This lengthy novel is the culmination of Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, commoner who by virtue of talent and chutzpah, rises to Earl, councillor to the King, Lord Privy Seal, General Secretary, and several other titles and responsibilities in service to Henry VIII, the Tudor King of England. He makes important enemies along the way, few friends, and anyone rising to such dizzying heights maneuvers on a knife’s edge, since ambition can quickly be interpreted as a threat to the King, and rivals will tear you down with manufactured accusations. Such appears to be the fate of Cromwell, at least in Mantel’s estimation. The historical record is unclear on this point, what exactly leads to Cromwell’s end. Mantel uses historical fact as the structure upon which she surmises, creates, and embellishes her version of conversations, thoughts, motives, and interactions beyond the written record, giving life and breath to these larger than life figures of history. We must not forget that these are Mantel’s educated guesses, each with biases and interpretations that suit her point of view, not necessarily in perfect alignment with reality. There is much we can never know, and that is where the novelist has room to create.

And what creations! Cromwell himself is a fascinating man, born of raw and difficult circumstances, he becomes a highly elevated and self-made man at a time when no one reached beyond their place of birth in the social order. Such success was attributed to sorcery or evil means, not hard work and talent, and he was never allowed to forget his past by his peers of noble birth, many of whom were unintelligent buffoons (as depicted by Mantel.) Equally fascinating are her characterizations of Henry, Katherine (wife #1), Anne Boleyn (wife #2), Jane Seymour (wife #3), Anne of Cleeves (wife #4), various courtiers and ladies of the court, and families of the key players. Henry parts company with Rome and the Papacy when denied an annulment from Katherine. Cromwell opens the legal path to that annulment, making marriage to Anne possible; then goes on to orchestrate Boleyn’s downfall and path to Jane when required. All of this is in pursuit of a male heir to the throne, perhaps the most important duty of a monarch, to guarantee the perpetuation of his lineage. Jane provides that male heir, only to die a week later. In the age of high infant and child mortality, with plagues running through the populace nearly annually, a monarch needs “an heir and a spare”. Henry was unable to succeed at that, as his marriage to Anne of Cleeves is a failure, with each agreeing to part amicably.

You can enjoy Mantel’s work on several levels: the drama, intrigue, and back-stabbing of court life; the lifestyles of rich and poor alike during Tudor times, especially its precarious nature; the symbols that Mantel repeats and weaves throughout, such as Henry as the mirror of his people, and their light through the darkness of life; and the fickleness of fate, despite one’s best efforts, planning, or goodness, life may still deal you a bad hand or end badly. Few in this time are bestowed with long life, and those who are so blessed are often the least deserving.

One relatively small but important point is the position Mantel takes on Cromwell and Thomas More. More had more advantages than Cromwell, receiving early education and a gentler childhood, while Cromwell has physically abused by his father, and lost his mother at a very young age. Cromwell largely raised himself, and had to pursue education via a difficult path. More is a faithful Roman Catholic, and refuses to recognize Henry’s annulment from Katherine as legitimate, ultimately dying a martyr’s dead when ordered beheaded by Henry. The Catholic Church canonized More, and he is the patron saint of lawyers. Mantel is far more critical of More, describing him as sadistic in his treatment of heretics, and selfish and unkind to his own kin. Mantel believes Cromwell is unappreciated by historians for the significance of his contribution to Henry’s rule, and hopes to begin to correct that appraisal with this trilogy. She feels he is a much more heroic figure in British history. Certainly, the complex relationships between Cromwell and Henry, Henry and his wives, and Henry’s style of governing and self-appraisal are all fascinating and make this novel a terrific read. I am glad I embarked on the trilogy, and this volume was a satisfying end to the series.