Prince Arthur [1486-1502], son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, was the great hope of early Tudor England. Today he is largely forgotten, remembered only as Henry VIII's shadowy elder brother, the first husband of Katherine of Aragon. But in his lifetime Arthur counted for much more than that. Groomed for kingship, sent to govern Wales and the Marches, married to secure the Spanish alliance, celebrated in portraits, poems and pageants, Arthur stood at the centre of his father's plans. His death brought a grand funeral and a lasting monument, the chantry chapel covered in Tudor badges that still stands in Worcester Cathedral. These richly illustrated essays, by historians, art historians and archaeologists, investigate Arthur's life and posthumous commemoration from every angle. They set him in the context of the fledgling Tudor regime and of the religion, art and architecture of late medieval death and memory. They close with an exploration of the re-enactment of Arthur's funeral at Worcester in 2002, an event that sought to rescue the prince from the oblivion that has been his lot for five hundred years.
CONTRIBUTORS: STEVEN GUNN, IAN ARTHURSON, FREDERICK HEPBURN, JOHN MORGAN-GUY, RALPH HOULBROOKE, MARK DUFFY, CHRIS GUY, JOHN HUNTER, LINDA MONCKTON, PHILLIP LINDLEY, JULIAN LITTEN
Reviews
A beautifully produced book that aims to revive interest in 'the forgotten prince' and his largely overlooked monument. [Includes] a wealth of fascinating material for Tudor scholars and all those interested in royalty, burial rites and commemoration. CHURCH MONUMENTSThe Boydell Press is to be complimented on this handsome volume, with ten colour plates and 53 monochrome illustrations, many of superb quality. WORCESTERSHIRE RECORDER
Conferences do not always transfer well to print, but this book shows how fruitful they can be. TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT