Margaret Beaufort

Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker

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Margaret Beaufort

By: Lauren Johnson

Narrated by: Lauren Johnson

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Bloomsbury presents Margaret Beaufort, written and read by Lauren Johnson.

Survivor. Rebel. Conspirator. Matriarch of a dynasty.

Born into a century of conflict as the daughter of the Duke of Somerset and a descendant of Edward III, Margaret Beaufort was married at twelve, a mother and widow at thirteen, and a player in one of the most violent chapters of English history.

Across three marriages and decades of civil war, Margaret endured loss, intrigue and exile – yet lived to see her only son crowned Henry VII, the first Tudor king. Against a backdrop of shifting power and danger, she helped broker the union that ended the Wars of the Roses, shaped the early Tudor court, and played a formative role in the life of her grandson, Henry VIII.

In this powerful and perceptive biography, historian Lauren Johnson brings Margaret vividly to life as a woman of rare resilience and ambition. With empathy and sharp insight, Johnson reframes our understanding of medieval power and restores Margaret to her rightful place: not simply a mother behind the throne, but a skilled political operator whose determination changed the course of English history.©2025 Lauren Johnson (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Lauren JohnsonLauren JohnsonApollo

Europe

Great Britain

Historical

War

Tudor

England

Royalty

Europe Great Britain Historical War Tudor England Royalty

Critic reviews

‘Not just a biography of Margaret, but a vivid portrait of the turbulent years of the Wars of the Roses. Though Margaret never personally stepped onto the battlefield, she was a constant presence in English politics. Lauren Johnson brings her triumphs and tragedies brilliantly to life’

'Lauren Johnson is among a growing group of young female historians determined to shine a light on the importance and political significance of women in the shaping of English history. In this highly readable biography, she reveals Margaret as she truly was – a shrewd political operator, calculated risk taker and successful dynasty builder. Margaret, as these pages assert, was the Mother of the Tudor dynasty, not because she birthed Henry VII, but because she put him on the throne, and with diligent counsel and unfailing support, maintained his place upon it'

A powerful new biography of a formidable medieval woman, brimming with fascinating details that bring colour and life to Lady Margaret’s world (Christina Faraday)

Lauren Johnson brings the story of one of the most powerful women in British history to life, taking readers on an epic journey through an existence dominated by the random turns of Fortune's Wheel. She situates Margaret not only within her own life and times, but also within the context of the people with whom she interacted. Highly detailed, readers will be captivated by this fresh look at a woman who truly deserves to be remembered as the founder of the Tudor dynasty (Beth Norton)

Rich, absorbing and compassionate ... Above all, Johnson's book is about the power a woman like Margaret could have in medieval England, and her love for her child. (Alice Hunt)

[Johnson] does a good job of portraying the mind-boggling complexities of English life during the dynastic Wars of the Roses ... [she] follows recent trends in scholarship by showing us a shrewd, pragmatic noblewoman who was no one's idea of a Borgia. (Kathryn Hughes)

This deeply researched and highly readable biography is a powerful testimony to what a capable medieval woman could achieve. (Katherine Harvey)

Lauren Johnson's compelling new biography is a detailed and sensitive re-examination of Margaret's life, interwoven with the Wars of the Roses, and a revealing assessment of how women have been judged by history. (The Duchess of Beaufort)

Absorbing.

Most relevant

With a vast cast of complex characters, this is book presents the Wars of the Roses from the unique perspective of one remarkable woman. Her navigation of the continually changing political landscape reveals a character which is far richer than the one dimensional portrayals elsewhere. Her motive was survival and she operated in the shadows but in the end she shaped the future of a kingdom.