Cover image of "The Cardinal," a biographical novel

For the first two decades in the reign of England’s notorious King Henry VIII a Catholic priest loomed large behind the throne. Named the king’s almoner in 1509, the year Henry’s father died, he ascended over the years from the priesthood to a cardinal’s hat as Henry named him to a succession of priestly and secular offices for his unfailing loyalty and efficiency. In 1515, he became Lord High Chancellor. Then, 14 years later, succumbing to the pressure of the cardinal’s enemies, the king finally stripped him of all his offices and confiscated the enormous wealth he had amassed. This is the story of Thomas Wolsey (1473-1530), the son of a butcher who was for many years the controlling figure in virtually all matters of state in England. Alison Weir tells his story in her deeply researched biographical novel, The Cardinal.

A brilliant administrator, a shrewd politician, and a lover

As a tagline on the book’s cover suggests, Weir treats her account of Wolsey’s life as a story of “love and power.” The love story she imagines pairs Wolsey with a much younger woman. In fact, as Wikipedia tells us, “Wolsey lived in a ‘non-canonical’ marriage for around a decade with a woman called Joan Larke.” The couple had two children, a boy and a girl. In Weir’s telling, Henry forced them to part ways with their children, sending them to be adopted by others, and later to separate themselves.

Although at Wolsey’s urging Larke married a minor nobleman who fathered two more children, she was unhappy in the marriage. Wolsey remained passionately in love with her for the rest of his life but had to content himself with only rare face-to-face meetings. It’s unclear whether this love affair was either so passionate or so protracted as Weir describes it. The historical record is foggy. But it makes for a good story.

The Cardinal by Alison Weir (2025) 442 pages ★★★★☆

Painting of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the subject of this biographical novel
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Image: History Hit

This biographical novel traces Cardinal Wolsey’s downfall

Much of what is written about Henry VIII involves his fateful marriage to Anne Boleyn. The story is familiar. Although he married her in 1533, he had begun to pursue her early in 1526 when she was 25 years old. When she resisted his advances, he soon resolved to marry her. To make that possible, he charged Cardinal Wolsey with obtaining an annulment from the Pope of his first marriage with Catherine of Aragon. Wolsey found that impossible, and his failure led to his downfall in 1529. He died later that year. However, Weir gives the impression that the events of that year occurred over a much longer time. She devotes a great deal of attention to the details of those final months in Wolsey’s life.

All told, as a study of the politics of that era, The Cardinal excels. Weir’s description of Wolsey’s relationship with the king and the other advisers around him casts a bright light on how power was exercised in Henry’s court. But her emphasis on Wolsey’s love for Joan Larke, which appears to be less well grounded in historical fact, detracts from the impact of the book.

About the author

Photo of Alison Weir, author of this biographical novel
Alison Weir. Image: Five Books

Alison Weir (née Matthews) has written 22 books of English history, many of them set in the Tudor Era, and 15 historical novels. She is one of Britain’s bestselling historians of the modern era. Weir was born in London in 1951 and graduated with a degree in history from the University of North London. She lives in Surrey with her husband, son, and daughter.

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