Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey was one of the most flamboyant and controversial characters of Henry VIII's reign.

A pioneering poet, whose verse had a profound impact on Shakespeare, Surrey was nevertheless branded by one contemporary as 'the most foolish proud boy that is in England'. He was the heir of England's premier nobleman, first cousin to two of Henry VIII's wives - Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard - and best friend and brother-in-law to the King's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy.

Celebrated for his chivalrous deeds both on and off the battlefield, Surrey became, at only twenty-eight, the King's Lieutenant General in France. But his confident exterior masked insecurity and loneliness. A man of intriguing contradictions, Surrey was both law enforcer and law breaker, political conservative and religious reformer and his life, replete with drunken escapades, battlefield heroics, conspiracy and courtroom drama, sheds new light on the opulence and artifice of a dazzling, but deadly, age.

Prizes

Winner of Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography 2007

Rarely have I felt so utterly captivated by a history book. It is stunning! Jessie Childs is a major new talent. She brings her characters to life so vividly, and the narrative just flows, packed with amazing detail. This, for me, is a surprisingly fresh view on a period with which I am very familiar. -- Alison Weir
A truly superb biography. -- A. N Wilson
Clatters along like an epic gangster movie... gripping. -- Roger Lewis * Daily Express *
Jessie Childs is a rising star among historians. Just when we thought everything had been said about Henry VIII she makes us see him from a completely new angle - through the eyes of a poet aristocrat. -- Desmond Seward
Childs's description of these complex manoeuvrings [at Henry's court], as of the French wars, is excellent...this book opens a fascinating window on the mid-Tudor world. * Guardian *
A fascinating story ...a very readable, and diligently researched book. * Literary Review *
A detailed and vivid picture of the daily and seasonal life of the landed aristocracy of the time, as well as of the political scheming and backbiting which in Henry's last years were all too often fatal. * Scotsman *
This is a rumbustious tale and well worth the retelling but what makes this biography special is the quality of the writing. It is as fluid and engaging as the research is careful and penetrating. * History Today *

Jessie Childs was born in 1976 and educated at West Heath and Stowe School. She took a first in history at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1999 and has worked in television as a researcher for historical documentaries. Her proposal for Henry VIII's Last Victim was a runner-up in the 2001 Biographers' Club/Daily Mail Prize. Her second book will tell the story of the persecuted Catholics in the reign of Elizabeth I. She lives in London.