Crown of Thistles: The Fatal Inheritance of Mary Queen of Scots

The intense rivalry between Elizabeth I and her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, dominates our understanding of the relationship between sixteenth-century England and Scotland. But few of us know how that rivalry began. Here, acclaimed historian Linda Porter tells the story of a divided family, of flamboyant kings and queens, cultured courts and tribal hatreds, blood feuds, sexual licence and violent deaths. Casting new light on the Tudor and Stuart dynasties, Crown of Thistles begins with the unlikely and dramatic victories of two usurping kings - Henry VII and James IV - and reveals the complex legacy they bequeathed to their descendant, Mary Queen of Scots, still seductive more than 400 years after her death.

'Stunning - an epic journey through the turbulent history of two nations' Alison Weir

'Bold, insightful and vivid' The Times

'Elegantly written, decently researched and, crucially, it will alert a new readership to a neglected subject' Glasgow Herald