Whilst modern day dating and love might be more complicated than we realize, it is nothing in comparison to the rules and very specific traditions lovers within the Tudor era experienced.
Tudor women, unlike the women of today, were little more than pawns being moved around a chessboard by the men around them. Unlike us, they had little choice in the men who pursued them or the man who would eventually land her hand nor would she have the ability to express herself freely as an individual as she would be defined by her duty as a wife and a mother.
And even if a woman was extremely fortunate to marry for love, fate often found a way to inflict pain or misery on those around her, almost as a punishment for wanting to marry for love rather than duty.
Life for women of the Tudor era was like being in a gilded cage; women were lavished upon with fancy jewels and dresses by their fathers or husbands but at the end of the day, the men made the commands and the women had to obey.
Love and courtship in the Tudor era was not as romantic or beautiful as we have been led to believe throughout the decades with modern representations of courtly love. So today, I am absolutely delighted to be discussing love and courtship in the Tudor era with today's guest; Sarah Gristwood, a brilliant journalist, historian and expert on Tudor romance.
Sarah is the author of many books including The Tudors in Love, Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses and her most recent release; Secret Voices: A Year of Women's Diaries.
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Until next time...
- Have a ‘Tudor-fic’ week!
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