Overview

Reginald Pole lived through the reigns of three Tudor monarchs, yet he is little known to most lovers of Tudor history. This book brings to life a man who became a cardinal and almost Pope; who so angered Henry VIII that a price was set on his head and attempts were made to kill him; and who was even once suggested as a prospective husband for Mary Tudor. He and Mary, paired in the minds of many during their lives, died on the same day. Pole was a key figure in Reformation Europe – but was he a man who lacked conviction in his beliefs, as some say? Was he a heretic as one Pope denounced him? Or was he simply a man who tried to do his best, whatever the cost both to his country and to his family? Set against the background of a tumultuous half-century in England’s history, The King’s Traitor answers these questions.

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9781398111486

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Reviews

‘Royal cousin, near-miss pope, target both of Henry VIII’s assassins and of the Inquisition, not to mention last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury and friend of Michelangelo, Reginald Pole lived a remarkably roller-coaster life for a man inclined to quiet scholarship and spiritual reform. At a smart pace and with a sharp eye for detail, this book unfolds his tumultuous story.’ -- Steven Gunn, author of An Accidental History of Tudor England ‘A revelatory exploration from a masterful scholar that consummately charts the remarkable life of the sixteenth century’s greatest nearly-man. Hyde has drawn on her deep expertise in penning histories of the church to present an elegant and eminently readable portrait of Henry VIII’s most enduring enemy.’ -- Nathen Amin, author of Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor 'The King's Traitor is a thorough and entertaining biography of Pole that spans from his birth during the reign of Henry VII to his death on the same day of his patron, ally and friend Mary I. Hyde skilfully and chronologically takes the reader through Pole's tumultuous career.' * All About History Magazine, January 2026 * 'Helen Hyde’s The King’s Traitor is an illuminating contribution to Tudor history that rescues one of the era’s most intriguing but overlooked figures, Cardinal Reginald Pole, from the shadows of history. Drawing on the complex sixteenth-century religious and political landscape, this offers more than a biography, as the narrative explores the interplay between faith, loyalty and power under the Tudors.' -- Tony Riches * The Writing Desk, 23rd January 2026 *

Royal cousin, near-miss pope, target both of Henry VIII’s assassins and of the Inquisition, not to mention last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury and friend of Michelangelo, Reginald Pole lived a remarkably roller-coaster life for a man inclined to quiet scholarship and spiritual reform. At a smart pace and with a sharp eye for detail, this book unfolds his tumultuous story. -- Steven Gunn, author of An Accidental History of Tudor England

Author Information

Helen Hyde is the author of a number of peer-reviewed articles in journals including the Bulletin of the Society for Renaissance Studies, and a book published by Boydell Press. The King’s Traitor is her first book aimed at a general readership.

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