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Determination and success Quote by Philippa Gregory

“It is hard to tell the story of Elizabeth of York without her farbetter-known husband, Henry VII, as the hero. Henry himself, Jasper Tudor, and Thomas Stanley are all described as powerful coherent agents of their own lives, but the enemies that Henry feared—Margaret, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy…” quote by Philippa Gregory
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““It is hard to tell the story of Elizabeth of York without her farbetter-known husband, Henry VII, as the hero. Henry himself, Jasper Tudor, and Thomas Stanley are all described as powerful coherent agents of their own lives, but the enemies that Henry feared—Margaret, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy, and Elizabeth Woodville—are written off as harpies filled with pointless malice, or as women crazed by grief. His greatest supporter, the leader of the anti-York rebellion to put Henry Tudor on his throne, was his mother, Margaret Beaufort—but the conventional histories follow her own declaration that she was wholly guided by God’s will, as if she did not live her life with absolute determination and successful strategy. The rebellion against Richard III that she led has gone down in history as “Buckingham’s Rebellion,” because Margaret Beaufort, as mother of the king of England, used the official court history to cover her tracks as a powerful politician, royal advisor, and treasonous rebel against the Plantagenet kings. For the benefit of her reputation she herself hid her determined and ruthless ambition. She””

Philippa Gregory

About This Quote

Source Historical Novel: The Other Boleyn Girl, 2001

A critique of how women’s agency is minimized in history, focusing on Margaret Beaufort’s strategic power versus patriarchal narratives.

In simple terms: Women’s contributions are often downplayed in historical accounts.

Key Takeaway

Question and broaden historical narratives.

Themes

gender historical bias power dynamics

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

historical analytical

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • teaching history
  • public discourse

Key Concepts

Feminist historiography political agency

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we uncover hidden female agency?
  • What sources reveal alternative perspectives?
A Different Perspective

Historical records may be incomplete or biased.

3.8 out of 5 (4 ratings)

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