Raising the Tudors (Hardback)

I think if you want a solid book as an introduction to Tudor motherhood, I recommend you read, “Raising the Tudors: Motherhood in Sixteenth-Century England” by Stephanie Kline.

NetGalley, Heidi Malagisi

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I adored "Raising the Tudors" by Stephanie Kline. Its no secret that I love learning about women's history, so obviously this was right up my alley.

The book covers everything, and I mean, everything you may need to know about motherhood in the tudor era. While there are sections about the parenting phase, the book start much earlier and ends well beyond.

We start the journey from the very beginning. No, not the pregnancy. Even before that.

We start with a general understanding of how the tudors approached women health and fertility, then, cover marriage and the marital duties. For pregnancy, the book covers everything from finding out about the little tudor growing in the womb all the way to feeding it 'goats' claws dredged in powder, either crushed into a drink or consumed in pottage'.

Fear not, for the book, then, follows the growing tudor from infancy to adulthood as their mother now turns into a grandmother.

Every time I told myself I would sit down for a page or two, I find myself having read 20 or more. It's very accessible and comprehensive.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone interested in women history or the tudor era!

NetGalley, Mona M

This was a very interesting look into a surprisingly underrepresented group from history, mothers. Despite being a huge part of history, everyone has one after all, research into mothers as a group is lacking. With this book, author Stephanie Kline attempts to fill that gap in regards to the Tudor period in England. Following women throughout their lives, from childhood to marriage to motherhood and beyond, Kline explores the daily life of mothers from royalty to commoner, including a fascinating look into the medical practices of the day. Overall a very well written and interesting look into motherhood for the Tudors.

NetGalley, Hannah Strey

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Raising the Tudors is one of the most beautifully researched and emotionally resonant Tudor history books I’ve read in ages. Stephanie Kline shines a necessary light on a topic that has too often been overshadowed by dynastic drama and political intrigue: the intimate, powerful, and often heartbreaking experience of motherhood in sixteenth-century England.

What makes this book stand out is how it honors the full spectrum of motherhood — not just among the highborn and royal, but across social classes. From the medical misunderstandings of female anatomy to the daily realities of childbirth, discipline, education, and maternal bonds, Kline gives voice to the lived experiences of Tudor women with empathy and clarity. It's not just a historical study — it’s a deeply human portrait of life, loss, duty, and care.

I especially appreciated the chapters on motherhood in older age and how women’s roles shifted as their children grew. There’s so much more depth to Tudor motherhood than just birthing heirs or dying in childbed, and Kline handles these narratives with grace and insight. I learned so much, but I also felt a genuine emotional connection to the women in these pages — not something every history book manages to achieve.

NetGalley, Chelsea Dugan

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book was SO interesting and I’ve never read anything of its like in relation to my previous Tudor readings. I absolutely love reading about the Tudors and Tudor history, and from this angle, the angle of Women’s health, birth, upbringings etc… it made for super interesting reading.

It was written really well too and well researched. It’s amazing to get a glimpse into the times and such an intimate part of their lives. I took this book with me on holiday and it was a great read keeping me company on the train (& train delays!). It was more than easy to get through a few chapters at a time and it flew by.

Raising the Tudors reveals intimidate details of the women of the time, from conception, pregnancy, child to teenage years and subsequent adulthood and marriage. These insights were great to read and the accompanying images at the back were well appreciated too. It’s a great book for any history and Tudor era fan!

NetGalley, Nicola Wilton

Raising the Tudors is such an interesting and informative book covering a wide range of topics concerned with raising children in Tudor times. The book is thorough and well researched and helps to place what we know about Tudor practices in the context of the medical, scientific and religious beliefs of the time.
Raising the Tudors is an excellent book to add to any Tudor enthusiast’s bookshelves.

NetGalley, Nicola Hall

I found this book to be well written and informative.
I have always loved the period of history surrounding The Cousins War into the time of the Tudors, so this is one book I certainly wanted to read. I was not disappointed.
Definitely a recommended read for history buffs or even someone who would like to learn more about the Tudor families.

NetGalley, Sue Blanchard

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I could not put this down. There is so much interesting information and the author presents it in a way which is extremely engaging and entertaining. The sub-text of societal expectations of women at the time adds depth to the analysis of some of the practicalities and even logistics of becoming a mother. I particularly enjoyed the detailed exploration of early ideas about the “humours” and the mobility of the womb - very interesting to see how strongly these ideas informed medical care at the time.

NetGalley, Louise Gray