The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power - Alison Weir

Written by Alison Weir
Read by Rosalyn Landor
Format: M4B
Bitrate: 64 Kbps

In this immersive tale of Tudor intrigue Alison Weir explores the rise of Thomas Wolsey, who was Henry VIII’s chief adviser—until the king accused him of treason.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey enjoyed one of the most meteoric careers in history. His rise from humble beginnings coincided with young Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne in 1509. The two grew to be cherished friends, and by 1515 Wolsey, now a cardinal, had become the controlling figure in all matters of church and state.

Wolsey operated on an international stage and worked hard to broker universal peace. All was going dazzlingly well until Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn—the woman whom Wolsey would one day call “the night crow”—and sought to end his marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Swept up in the maelstrom of “the Divorce,” Wolsey, who had successfully given his master everything he wanted, found himself in an impossible situation. As he drew the ire of the future queen, the cardinal found his privileged life and his relationship with Henry crumbling around him.

Recorded Books, May 2025
17 hours and 18 minutes