The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England

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No sooner had the king died than the throne was seized by Stephen of Blois, Matilda's cousin, ushering in a long period of civil war, known subsequently as the Anarchy. The son of John the Gaunt, Henry was seen as a confident, well-educated, generous, and spiritually fervent young man. I know the Tudors have received more attention in recent years than their predecessors, the Plantagenets, mainly due to a strange fascination with Henry VIII and his numerous wives, but I think that most people will find this overview of the Plantagenets equally fascinating and might even discover themselves believing, as I do, that the Tudors are merely a ragtag band of usurpers to the true kings and queens who built England.

Favorite Historical novels of the Plantagenets (37 books) Favorite Historical novels of the Plantagenets (37 books)

Edward II did not give Isabella’s wedding presents to Piers, he asked him to take them to the Tower for safe keeping. I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it, which is surprising since my eyes usually glaze over at any hint of English history. Vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding.

One of the rallying cries for the rebels was the death of young Arthur, the nearest claimant after John to England's throne, and whom John most likely killed with his own hands in a drunken rage at Easter 1203.

The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made…

Jones has produced an absorbing narrative that will help ensure that the Plantagenet story remains ‘stamped on the English imagination’ for another generation.Although this novel doesn't directly impact Richard II, it does take place during his father, the Black Prince's ill-fated campaign to Spain.

books about the Plantagenets - Shepherd The best books about the Plantagenets - Shepherd

I especially found with Edward II there was no attempt at all to be neutral; he was even blamed for the failings of Richard II. Stating that a king should govern according to the law and making sure that he did so were, it turned out, quite separate matters. Also interesting is how Jones points out that the bloody violence we associate with the Tudors began with a few pivotal executions during this time period that forever changed the way the monarchy interacted with the peers of the realm.Reputedly descended from a daughter of Satan, they were set to become England’s longest reigning dynasty. Plantagents is divided into seven sections, from the ‘Age of Shipwreck’, which covers the period of sinking of the white ship to the eventual accession of Henry II, to the Age of Revolution, which sees the death of the Black Prince and the reign of Richard II. Along the way, you get a view of some of the supporting cast, such as the martyred Thomas Beckett, and the conniving Piers Gaveston. In his prologue, Jones tells us his intention with The Plantagenets is to tell the story in an entertaining way. Jones takes the conservative view that Edward and Gaveston might just have been Really (Really) Good Friends, but I have my doubts.