Beloved Cousyn:  John Howard and the House of York, by John Ashdown-Hill will be published by The History Press in November 2009  (£18.99 in the UK).

Impatient readers who loved John’s Eleanor, The Secret Queen might not want to wait until the author’s new book  is published here (probably next year).  The History Press have a offer of  £15 for members of Ricardian Societies from November 2 to January 4, but we suspect that the offer of free postage and packing doesn’t apply to us. For individual orders contact www.thehistorypress.co.uk and quote offer code HPBeloved.  If you would like to be part of a bulk order from either Amazon or The History Press, at about the same price or posssibly a bit cheaper for shared postage costs (to be advised), please let us know at library@richardiii-nsw.org.au by 23 October 2009 (sorry –  members only).

John Ashdown-Hill, the Richard III Society’s tireless and ever helpful Branches’ and Groups’ Liaison Officer, sends this information:

John Howard, a 15th-century Suffolk gentleman founded a dynasty of dukes of Norfolk which has lasted to the present day.  In 1455 Howard was untitled and obscure; at his death in 1485 he was Earl Marshal, Duke of Norfolk, Lord Admiral and a very wealthy man.

…The author examines Howard’s reasons for supporting Richard III, even at the cost of his own life; he reveals how Richard became king in 1483 and looks at Howard’s involvement with the fate of the ’Princes in the Tower’ and of the royal secrets he knew through his association with the private life of Edward IV.

Beloved Cousyn brings out many fascinating details which have previously been overlooked.  The book also re-writes the history of shipbuilding, outlining Howard’s naval innovations, hitherto ascribed to the Tudors.  The details of Howard’s death together with the subsequent fate of his remains are also explored.

Tags: Books, Richard III