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Black Tudors

The Untold Story

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Black Tudors

By: Miranda Kaufmann
Narrated by: Corrie James
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About this listen

A Black porter publicly whips a White English gentleman in a Gloucestershire manor house. A heavily pregnant African woman is abandoned on an Indonesian island by Sir Francis Drake. A Mauritanian diver is dispatched to salvage lost treasures from the Mary Rose.... Miranda Kaufmann reveals the absorbing stories of some of the Africans who lived free in Tudor England.

From long-forgotten records, remarkable characters emerge. They were baptized, married, and buried by the Church of England. They were paid wages like any other Tudors. Their stories, brought viscerally to life by Kaufmann, provide unprecedented insights into how Africans came to be in Tudor England, what they did there, and how they were treated. A groundbreaking, seminal work, Black Tudors challenges the accepted narrative that racial slavery was all but inevitable and forces us to reexamine the 17th century to determine what caused perceptions to change so radically.

©2017 Miranda Kaufmann (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books Europe Great Britain Historical England Tudor Middle Ages Africa Royalty Imperialism Latin American United Kingdom Social justice British Empire Tudor England
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A really excellent book, hugely well-informed (the author has a doctorate from Oxford on the subject), and full of human interest. I listened to the whole thing in about two days.

Aside from its main subject matter, the book is also full of great little facts (e.g., the exact % of cows bequeather in wills, who are mentioned by name)

Fascinating and beautifully written

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interesting subject. I certainly learnt a great deal. Unfortunately, similar to other readers, I found parts of the book to be quite long winded and hard to get through. A shame considering the interesting and hidden stories being told.
Also, chapter titles are labeled wrong on here. End credits appear as 2hr+ but are actually 2 chapters, an authors note and the end credits.

interesting but long winded at times

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I knew very little about this subject but I am so glad that I read this book as it opened up a whole new world for me.

Excellent scholarship and accessible writing produced an interesting and enlightening story of the lives of several black men and women who led successful lives in an England where slavery did not exist. Some had lowly and perhaps despised lives as sex workers but others ran their own businesses and learned trades. Many led respectable married lives and produced children. Some were associated with the gentry or aristocracy and some were called upon to serve royalty. All of them were unique and talented in their own way and many led adventurous lives.

The book left me with many questions such as why it was not possible for England to continue in this enlightened fashion; perhaps if it had there would not be the societal problems in today's troubled world.

I thoroughly recommend this book which was well narrated and kept my attention all the way through.

Excellent in every way.

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Fascinating history of black history in Tudor times let down by a white, lofty and aristocratic reading by the narrator.

Some very difficult words to the modern ear abound and should come with a warning at the start of the book this is unsuitable for playing in public and may be upsetting - earphones delivery is recommended.

Fascinating history with lofty white narration

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I have read this excellent book before so thought I'd try the audio version. I was not let down. Highly enjoyable and well researched. A necessary book for any history lover

excellent

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