Author(s): Robert Hutchinson

History

he definitive biography on the most powerful man in King Henry VIII's court and the protagonist of Hilary Mantel's bestselling series, Thomas Cromwell The son of a brewer, Thomas Cromwell rose from obscurity to become the confidant of the King -- and ultimately one of the most influential men in British history. Cromwell drafted the law that allowed Henry VIII to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn, setting into motion the Protestant Reformation which left Britain in turmoil for centuries. Over the course of his controversial career, Cromwell amassed a fortune through bribery and theft, but he also created many enemies along the way. His fall was spectacular -- beheaded outside the Tower of London, his boiled head was placed on a spike above the London Bridge. Rich in incident and colorful detail, this narrative history gives readers the real inside look into the life of the protagonist of Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" and "Bring Up the Bodies."