The Death of Kings: A Medical History of the Kings and Queens of England PDF

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Many Kings and Queens of England suffered extraordinary deaths. Handsome and virile in his youth, a rare medical condition turned Henry VIII into a bloated and grotesque old man, The dashing and glamourous Henry V probably died of cancer of the rectum, a fate that also befell Edward I. Charles I was beheaded. Henry VI was the victim of a grisly murder. Edward II, attacked in an intimate place with a poker, died in agony from traumatic perforation of the rectum. George II died in ignominy enthroned on the lavatory. Distinguished surgeon Clifford Brewer T.D. F. R. C.S. has made the deaths of kings the study of a life time, examining every act of violence and each unpleasant disease with a razor sharp eye for detail. This volume will enthrall and appal. --- from book's back cover

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• Product Details
• Table of Contents
• Reviews

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Abson Books (January 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0902920995
• ISBN-13: 978-0902920996
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

The Death of Kings: A Medical History of the Kings and Queens of England PDF

I bought this book years ago at Heathrow Airport and devoured it on the flight back to New York. It's the only time I haven't been bored on that 7 hour trip. If you love history, especially English royalty, you will enjoy this. It's well written and while some of the conclusions may be speculative there is enough information on each death to hazard a few guesses on your own. You don't need any medical knowledge to throughly enjoy this book.

By History Lover

Most reviewers here have already written of the many merits of this book. I would just like to add that the author presents each case with a measure of sympathy for the sufferer of ailments which puzzled the best medical minds of their respective time periods.

As an example, the image of Henry VIII conjures up a bully-a domineering and heartless ruler. But considering that Henry was probably dealing with some very serious health issues that affected him not only physically but also psychologically, one begins to understand the relatively swift descent of this monarch from a budding Renaissance prince to a feared sovereign.

The author also presents a more sympathetic view of medical men of ages past, before the benefit of modern scientific discoveries and identification of many illnesses. Though he admits there were many "quacks", Dr. Brewer also educates the reader regarding some astute individuals who were very sincere in their attempts to understand and help their patients. We would not have the medical knowledge of today if it hadn't been for the efforts of these pioneering medical men, who are all too often ridiculed for holding the often very erroneous views of illnesses so prevalent at the time that they lived.

Anyone interested in British history and/or the history of medicine will enjoy this book. The author has reached out across the centuries and provided an honest and interesting look at not only the monarchs and their maladies, but the medical response to their often puzzling and deadly ailments, both physical and mental. Very highly recommended.

By Sharon A. Hutchinson