‘The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty’ by Carol Ann Lloyd

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction – History

Published: 2023

Format: Hardback

Rating: ★★★★★

I absolutely loved this fresh new look on the Tudors. So much has been written about them as a dynasty and this is a new look through the numbers, like the fact that only 1 Tudor monarch left a diary, there were 7 Tudor coronations, and 42% of the Tudor dynasty was ruled by a Queen.

These facts and many others are explored by Carol Ann Lloyd in this new book. It’s well-written and researched, going back to the primary sources, and discussing different historian’s views. It’s divided down within each chapter into different sections discussing different numbers from the dynasty.

The biography is really well managed and very comprehensive, and the index is also well done and comprehensive. Images are people-focused with a few other ones thrown in. The only thing I can think of to criticise, and it’s not really a criticism but possibly a thought for a future follow-up book, is that it’s focused very much on the monarchs. It would be nice to find out more numbers about the people – like the number of people involved in rebellions, the numbers of priest holes in houses, or the numbers of people working as goldsmiths or blacksmiths.

It’s a really enjoyable book and a great addition to any Tudor lover’s bookshelves. There certainly is always some kind of new perspective or something new to learn about the Tudors, especially given how many new discoveries are still being made!