His father tried to warn him. How becoming king would twist his mind and his morals.



But he didn't listen. He was young and ambitious and convinced of his divinity.



As a boy Hal heard a prophecy and convinced himself he would be king despite being the 'spare heir'. Then the prophecy comes true and suddenly Henry has everything he ever dreamed of, apart from sons to pass on the empire to... and France.



Political alliances form, fail and reform, a succession of wives and mistresses repeatedly fail to produce the longed for sons and bit by bit the idealistic and well intentioned young man is buried beneath his own failures, disappointments, ill health and increasing madness.



The King is dead. But the legend lives on.



One of the best books I've read in 2011 and sent me back to the history books to read some more about Tudor times!