The son of a brewer, Cromwell rose from obscurity to become Earl of Essex, Vice-Regent and High Chamberlain of England, Keep of the Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He maneuvered his way to the top by intrigue, bribery and sheer force of personality in a court dominated by the malevolent King ...
Hans Holbein's portrait of Henry VIII perished in fire in 1698, yet has remained the definitive image of the English monarch, through a number of derivations down to modern cinematic portrayals. Written to accompany an exhibition at the National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside (UK) and prompted by
