The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget

William Paget, who rose from obscurity to become one of Henry VIII's most influential new men, was a key player in drafting the king's will and enabling Somerset to become Lord Protector. He also played a major role in delivering the Crown to Mary and arranging her marriage to Philip II of Spain. He was the founder of the aristocratic Paget family and lived in a Tudor household with dramatic ups and downs, including court intrigues, conspiracies, rebellions, and coups.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 30 October 2023
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

William Paget, like Cromwell and Wolsey before him, emerged from obscurity to attain a prominent position among Henry VIII's inner circle. His diplomatic career, including serving as an ambassador to the Court of Francis I of France, positioned him as Henry's foremost foreign policy advisor. He forged a close bond with Emperor Charles V and played a pivotal role in shaping the king's will and facilitating Somerset's ascent to the position of Lord Protector during the reign of Edward VI, the young boy king. Paget served as Somerset's trusted confidant for a time. However, when Somerset's downfall occurred, Paget was unjustly imprisoned in the Tower and faced the threat of execution. Miraculously, he managed to survive and reclaimed his influence. He played a significant role in delivering the Crown to Mary, the Catholic queen, and in orchestrating her marriage to Philip II of Spain, whom he subsequently advised on English politics. Paget maintained connections with both the Protestant princess Elizabeth and endured until her ascension to the throne, where he continued to wield influence.

Paget's rise to prominence was remarkable, as he was the founder of the aristocratic Paget family, which held titles such as Barons of Beaudesert, Earls of Uxbridge, and Marquesses of Anglesey. Through the examination of family letters, a vivid picture emerges of the life within a Tudor household at the personal family level. The story unfolds with a series of dramatic twists and turns, encompassing periods of poverty, plague, imprisonment, and ultimately peerage. Court intrigues, conspiracies, rebellions, and coups followed one after another, with William Paget often at the center of these events, wielding power behind the throne.

This captivating narrative is enriched by the inclusion of previously unexamined family letters, providing a fresh perspective on the lives of the Tudor aristocracy. The letters reveal the personal struggles, triumphs, and relationships within the Paget family, shedding light on their experiences during a tumultuous period in English history. The story of William Paget is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of individuals in a society constantly in flux, where fortunes can be made and lost in the blink of an eye. It serves as a reminder of the complex web of political, social, and familial dynamics that shaped the Tudor era and the individuals who navigated it with determination and skill.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399035095