From the bloody Wars of the Roses to Queen Elizabeth I’s iconic rule, the Tudor Dynasty was a period of sex, scandal, and intrigue. Monarchs such as Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I have become a part of modern pop culture, resulting in endless parodies, satires, rumors, and urban legends that grace our television screens. But as with all urban legends and parodies, facts surrounding the lives of these rulers are greatly exaggerated. In this entertaining guide, Barb Alexander serves to debunk those rumors and educate you about the dynasty. History doesn’t have to be dry, boring, and difficult to read. As an educator, Barb knows exactly how to engage an audience. This pocket-sized guide is not only informative, but also filled with cheek, snark, and wit. With 50 beautiful illustrations that depict Tudor Monarchs and key players during their rule, this book is guaranteed to garner a chuckle or two. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the lesson. Before long, you’ll be sharing Tudor history facts that will be sure to impress your less-informed peers. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. Barb Alexander  is an elementary school teacher, and started The Tudor Tutor blog in 2009 as a way of merging history education and humor. As a Tudor history buff, Barb previously resided in England, where she spent endless hours researching the era. She lives in Virginia. Lisa Graves is the author and illustrator of History's Witches . She is also the creator of Historywitch.com, a site dedicated to illustrations of history's greatest and most fascinating characters. She lives in Medway, Massachusetts. The Tudor Tutor Your Cheeky Guide to the Dynasty By Barb Alexander, Lisa Graves Skyhorse Publishing Copyright © 2015 Barb Alexander and Lisa Graves All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-63450-402-7 Contents Welcome!, In a Hurry? Just the Basics, 1. Henry VII: Who Died and Made Him King?, 2. Henry VIII: The Notorious HRH, 3. The Wives: Henry's Half Dozen, 4. Edward VI: Here Comes the Son!, 5. Lady Jane Grey: Blink and You'll Miss Her, 6. Mary I: Bringing Catholic Back, 7. Elizabeth I: The Grand Finale, 8. Full Circle: Life After Tudors, Who, What, and When: A Tudor Timeline, Thank You Notes, Sources, CHAPTER 1 Henry VII: Who Died and Made Him King? What is arguably the most interesting dynasty in English royal history almost never came to be. Before the Tudors of Wales became the Tudors, Richard III, head of the house of York, sat on the throne. But during one little battle, Henry Tudor and his guys swept in and finished him off with their weapons. When Richard III's bones were discovered under a Leicester parking lot in 2012, they showed evidence of fatal blows. A sword had entered his skull on one end and came out the other after slicing through his brain, and another segment of his skull had been whacked clear away. The king was dead, long live the new king, Henry VII! But who did this Henry think he was? Primogeniture, the tradition of passing the crown on from father to oldest son, had been all the rage in England for about four hundred years. Richard III had no surviving heirs when he died and the rest of the children on the York side were either freshly dead (the little princes in the Tower) or female (definitely a problem). But how did Henry Tudor enter the picture? First, let's talk about Henry himself. His mother, Margaret Beaufort (a powerhouse in an itty-bitty package) was pregnant with him at age thirteen, not unusual for that time period. His father was captured during the Wars of the Roses and died in prison, before his son was born. Even as a boy, this kid oozed self-confidence, so much so that Henry VI stated he was one to whom "both we and our adversaries must yield, and give over the domain." Though his mother remarried later, Henry spent a lot of time with his uncle Jasper, and it was Jasper who took him to France when he was a teenager. As someone with a claim to the throne, Henry was safer in France than in Wales. The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars between two sides of the same family. (This is known today in some families as "the holidays.") The house of York was on one side; the house of Lancaster was on the other. This massive family feud carried on for about thirty years. Henry was the last surviving possibility for the Lancastrians, but the Yorkists were currently in charge in the form of Richard III. Sh