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The Restless Kings: Henry II, His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown
"A vivid and humane study of the Plantagenets' diabolical and devious first family - a real joy to read."―Dan Jones, author of The War of the Roses
In The Restless Kings Nick Barratt presents the tumultuous struggle for supremacy between the first Plantagenet king, Henry II, and his four sons - a drama that tore apart the most powerful family in western Europe and shaped the future of two nations. Through force of arms, Henry II won an empire which was then lost by his son John.
Although the key events took place over 800 years ago, their significance still resonates today. The root causes of Brexit can be found in King John’s retreat from Europe, isolating himself in England, and the seeds of the current tensions in the Middle East were sown by Richard the Lionheart’s Crusade against the infidels in the Holy Land.
We also learn about some of the most powerful women of the medieval period, formidable and canny politicians in their own right who outlived their spouses and children.
The Restless Kings will challenge everything you assumed you knew about the medieval world. Above all, it brings to life some of the most remarkable, complex, flawed and brilliant monarchs ever to have sat on the English throne.
In The Restless Kings Nick Barratt presents the tumultuous struggle for supremacy between the first Plantagenet king, Henry II, and his four sons - a drama that tore apart the most powerful family in western Europe and shaped the future of two nations. Through force of arms, Henry II won an empire which was then lost by his son John.
Although the key events took place over 800 years ago, their significance still resonates today. The root causes of Brexit can be found in King John’s retreat from Europe, isolating himself in England, and the seeds of the current tensions in the Middle East were sown by Richard the Lionheart’s Crusade against the infidels in the Holy Land.
We also learn about some of the most powerful women of the medieval period, formidable and canny politicians in their own right who outlived their spouses and children.
The Restless Kings will challenge everything you assumed you knew about the medieval world. Above all, it brings to life some of the most remarkable, complex, flawed and brilliant monarchs ever to have sat on the English throne.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2019
84 people are currently reading
1043 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 18, 2019
Angevin and Plantaganet history is fascinating and complex. Throw in the Capetians, the various Houses and other terroritories with their claims, alliances and interconnected families and you have the basis for this book.
The author does a fair job in telling the story of Henry II and his five sons, including importantly Richard and John.
Fair as it is a big subject to cram into no more than 300 pages. It is readable and in general easy to follow.
If you are familiar with this period you may not learn much new, but condensed it is worth adding to your "read" pile. The politics, taxation and power struggles are put clearly and it is well balanced with both sides of the channel receiving good coverage that links events and circumstances.
If you are new to the subject it is worth venturing into Henry II through this book as, while it gets crowded with people and names, the characters are the players who stride this period and whose names fill pages and pages of historical fiction.
So why only fair? We'll only one map, one very basic family tree and no sources or references whatsoever. There is a small further reading section but this is a new 2 pages.
With that then it's a solid 3 stars.
The author does a fair job in telling the story of Henry II and his five sons, including importantly Richard and John.
Fair as it is a big subject to cram into no more than 300 pages. It is readable and in general easy to follow.
If you are familiar with this period you may not learn much new, but condensed it is worth adding to your "read" pile. The politics, taxation and power struggles are put clearly and it is well balanced with both sides of the channel receiving good coverage that links events and circumstances.
If you are new to the subject it is worth venturing into Henry II through this book as, while it gets crowded with people and names, the characters are the players who stride this period and whose names fill pages and pages of historical fiction.
So why only fair? We'll only one map, one very basic family tree and no sources or references whatsoever. There is a small further reading section but this is a new 2 pages.
With that then it's a solid 3 stars.
March 25, 2019
A rather odd and disjointed book which contains only five chapters and an intrduction to cover the reigns of three kings from 1154 to 1216. We start off in the introduction and in the beginning of chapter 1, weirdly enough, with a few pages about the Merovingians and Charlemagne and the nature of the Holy Roman Empire and Aethelred II of England and Harold Godwinson's shipwreck in Normandy in 1064 and quite a bit about William Clito. Chapter 4 is called 'The Loss of Normandy' and covers the entirety of Richard Lionheart's reign from 1189 to 1199 and the first five years of John's. The narrative jumps around a lot, so chapter 4 begins with a three-page account of the Lionheart's death in 1199 then goes back to his accession to the throne in 1189. Chapter 1 ends with Henry II's marriage to Eleanor in 1152 and his accession to the English throne two years later, then the start of chapter 2 jumps forward to the murder of Becket in 1170 for nearly five pages then goes back to 1154. I can't quite fathom the reasons for this. There's no bibliography, just two pages of suggested 'Further Reading' which are all modern (or modern-ish) books without a single primary source listed. Three of the suggested books are: Mary Beard's History of Ancient Rome, Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and Rosamond McKitterick's book about Charlemagne. Neither does the book contain a single endnote. For a complete beginner to the subject, the book probably provides a usefully breezy intro, but I can't imagine that a reader who knows anything about the three Angevin kings will learn anything new.
September 22, 2022
The first Plantagenet king, Henry II seemed to have everything in control, by the age of 40 he controlled England, parts of Wales, some of Ireland and the western half of France. He was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, and he had eight children, three daughters and five sons.
It was the tension between these brothers that would ruin the legacy that Henry hoped to have as they sought to carve out their own power bases with land and income. Brother fought against brother and sometimes joined forces with each other to push back against their father. Some of the changes that he made in the way that the law and administration of his lands were run during his reign are still in use today, but the thing he could not do was temper any of his son’s desire for power.
I thought that this was a fascinating journey through our history of the early 1200s beginning with Henry II. Generally, it was quite readable, and the narrative storyline works really well. Occasionally the detail would be a little overwhelming, trying to keep up with which cousin or other relative going back on a promise and betraying the monarch at the time was. This power play took play across Europe and the UK and each of the Kings struggled to hold onto their authority across their vast lands. They were quite a greedy bunch and in certain cases fairly incompetent too and their legacy still rumbles across the political landscape of the UK Europe and even the Middle East even today.
It was the tension between these brothers that would ruin the legacy that Henry hoped to have as they sought to carve out their own power bases with land and income. Brother fought against brother and sometimes joined forces with each other to push back against their father. Some of the changes that he made in the way that the law and administration of his lands were run during his reign are still in use today, but the thing he could not do was temper any of his son’s desire for power.
I thought that this was a fascinating journey through our history of the early 1200s beginning with Henry II. Generally, it was quite readable, and the narrative storyline works really well. Occasionally the detail would be a little overwhelming, trying to keep up with which cousin or other relative going back on a promise and betraying the monarch at the time was. This power play took play across Europe and the UK and each of the Kings struggled to hold onto their authority across their vast lands. They were quite a greedy bunch and in certain cases fairly incompetent too and their legacy still rumbles across the political landscape of the UK Europe and even the Middle East even today.
March 8, 2020
I'm going to go ahead and guess that Barratt's interests lie in finance. An extensive amount of this book focuses on the role of the exchequers; taxation throughout the reigns of the Angevins; and financial laws that started in Henry's reign and continued to be shaped throughout the reigns of his sons.
I know this book wasn't supposed to be a life chronicle, but I think even the smallest focus on the kings' domestic (domestic?) lives would have been appreciated. For example, at one point Barratt mentions that John had made a marriage alliance for his son Henry without even mentioning at any point that, hey, John has an heir now. Not that that's a big deal or anything after his brother's reign...
The biggest fault I would have to say that plagues this book is the pacing. Richard's reign is literally covered in half a chapter. That being said, Barratt is definitely deeply knowledgeable about financial history and the book was still interesting for perhaps that purpose alone. Frankly, it was a little refreshing to read a book about the Angevin kings that didn't feel like I was skimming the headlines of a ragbag.
This book was written well for what it is - a commentary - but should not be read in attempt to gain a general understanding of the reigns of the Angevin kings.
I know this book wasn't supposed to be a life chronicle, but I think even the smallest focus on the kings' domestic (domestic?) lives would have been appreciated. For example, at one point Barratt mentions that John had made a marriage alliance for his son Henry without even mentioning at any point that, hey, John has an heir now. Not that that's a big deal or anything after his brother's reign...
The biggest fault I would have to say that plagues this book is the pacing. Richard's reign is literally covered in half a chapter. That being said, Barratt is definitely deeply knowledgeable about financial history and the book was still interesting for perhaps that purpose alone. Frankly, it was a little refreshing to read a book about the Angevin kings that didn't feel like I was skimming the headlines of a ragbag.
This book was written well for what it is - a commentary - but should not be read in attempt to gain a general understanding of the reigns of the Angevin kings.
October 9, 2020
Despite some of the lower ratings and reviews of this book on this site, I really enjoyed this "group biography" of Henry II and his family. The writing is great and brings the era alive - it is very conversational and even humorous at times. I really like this era for its complexity and that the King of England also ruled over parts of what is now-modern day France. I thought the author wrote a really well-researched book and I would recommend it as worth reading if you enjoy reading history.
March 19, 2021
A strong and easy-to-read summary of the rise and fall of the Angevin empire, which takes a narrative form and is definitely an enjoyable introduction to the topic.
However, little time is spent on the reigns of Richard and John in comparison to Henry II and major topics such as Magna Carta or the Crusades only get a few pages each. Little information is offered which is new to those readers already familiar with the topic, but this does not detract from the ease of reading.
However, little time is spent on the reigns of Richard and John in comparison to Henry II and major topics such as Magna Carta or the Crusades only get a few pages each. Little information is offered which is new to those readers already familiar with the topic, but this does not detract from the ease of reading.
January 1, 2019
This history jumps all over the place from endings to beginnings to middle of reign back and forth through the years of Henry II, Richard I and John. In some books that jumping around format would be the kiss of death but Barratt manages it very nicely and produces a very readable study of the reigns of the three "restless kings".
December 15, 2023
Good, engaging and clear. Recommended
November 23, 2018
A rather interesting and fascinating read about the Angevin Kings and how they have shaped our modern world. Thoroughly enjoyable
April 1, 2019
I picked this book up after rejecting Peter Ackroyd's "Tudors" partly because it was the middle book in his 5 book series, and also because I didn't like his style. I was hoping for more explanation from Barratt's book on Henry II and his sons, but unfortunately that wasn't to be-- even the author (unfortunately at the very end of the book) reports that the book is a commentary and not meant to be a history. He helpfully mentions better history books. Ah well, I managed to finish this book, but was confused by the frequent inclusion of geography for both medieval England and France and the non-linear historical descriptions (the deaths of both Richard II and John are described in the midst of the narratives about their reigns-- with very little mention of Crusades for Richard or the Magna Carta for John!). Some maps and a time line (and maybe some genealogical trees) would have helped me a lot with this book.
June 21, 2019
A great group biography of Henry II and his family.
Barratt does a great job describing the family’s struggle to rule its different Angevin territories (the king of England ruled more French territory than the king of France) and to manage their complex politics, and the differing styles and interests of Henry II, John and Richard. He compares the territory to a commonwealth, and ably describes why Henry’s whole family turned on him and how foreign alliances led to a wider war.
The narrative is witty, insightful and moves along at a good pace and brings the era to life. The writing can get a little flowery at times, though, and there is little coverage of how commoners experienced the era.
A clear, well-researched, and well-written work.
Barratt does a great job describing the family’s struggle to rule its different Angevin territories (the king of England ruled more French territory than the king of France) and to manage their complex politics, and the differing styles and interests of Henry II, John and Richard. He compares the territory to a commonwealth, and ably describes why Henry’s whole family turned on him and how foreign alliances led to a wider war.
The narrative is witty, insightful and moves along at a good pace and brings the era to life. The writing can get a little flowery at times, though, and there is little coverage of how commoners experienced the era.
A clear, well-researched, and well-written work.
December 30, 2024
Terrific book. A in-depth look at H2's reign and the weird family drama with his sons during the late 12th and early 13th century, ending up with King John (his youngest) and Magna Carta.
Originally, I got interested in medieval history via the Tudors, which probably is pretty common. Early Norman history and basically anything before about 1450 seemed too ancient to me. But books like this have changed my mind, and I now find this period of time to be fairly fascinating.
I'm not going to do a historical review, but if you want to learn more about the quarrel with Thomas Becket and the run-up to Magna Carta, not to mention the origins and early stages of the never-ending quarrels between what are now England and France, I would read this book.
H2's feud with Becket and the struggles his sons had with the papacy are foreshadowing for the issues H8 had in his Great Matter: does England stand on its own? Or is it a mere vassal state to the Holy See in Rome? Among the more surprising things that I learned was that John, as things were following apart for him on the continent, actually formally accepted the Pope and Rome as their leader in the early 13th century. And people weren't even that upset.
The other obvious theme that runs through hundreds of years of English history is how much power the King holds over his subjects, particularly the barons; his right to raise taxes; patrol the forests (a huge sticking point at this time); start wars; etc. Among the things Magna Carta codified were the "common law", but also the practice that raising taxes had to be done only after calling a Parliament and getting sign-off from the magnates. If you stop to think about that -- in an era when people who thought transubstantiation wasn't literal could end up being beheaded for it -- it's fairly astonishing that a King would say "OK, I won't raises taxes unless I get your approval to do it."
There is also a very informative initial chapter which gets into the history of Roman administration of continental Europe and how it evolved into medieval English laws and customs.
Originally, I got interested in medieval history via the Tudors, which probably is pretty common. Early Norman history and basically anything before about 1450 seemed too ancient to me. But books like this have changed my mind, and I now find this period of time to be fairly fascinating.
I'm not going to do a historical review, but if you want to learn more about the quarrel with Thomas Becket and the run-up to Magna Carta, not to mention the origins and early stages of the never-ending quarrels between what are now England and France, I would read this book.
H2's feud with Becket and the struggles his sons had with the papacy are foreshadowing for the issues H8 had in his Great Matter: does England stand on its own? Or is it a mere vassal state to the Holy See in Rome? Among the more surprising things that I learned was that John, as things were following apart for him on the continent, actually formally accepted the Pope and Rome as their leader in the early 13th century. And people weren't even that upset.
The other obvious theme that runs through hundreds of years of English history is how much power the King holds over his subjects, particularly the barons; his right to raise taxes; patrol the forests (a huge sticking point at this time); start wars; etc. Among the things Magna Carta codified were the "common law", but also the practice that raising taxes had to be done only after calling a Parliament and getting sign-off from the magnates. If you stop to think about that -- in an era when people who thought transubstantiation wasn't literal could end up being beheaded for it -- it's fairly astonishing that a King would say "OK, I won't raises taxes unless I get your approval to do it."
There is also a very informative initial chapter which gets into the history of Roman administration of continental Europe and how it evolved into medieval English laws and customs.
January 22, 2022
Good overall look at the Angevin dynasty. My only point of contention against it, i.e. my reason in giving it 4 stars, is Barratt's obsessive vendetta against St. Thomas à Becket. I can understand not calling him St. Thomas as most of the discussion is about him while he's living, but the author legitimately takes every negative rumor about him from the decidedly biased King Henry II at face value, it's absurd. Barratt even recognizes this, but refuses to relent, calling him vain etc. for daring to wear the robes of his office as chancellor. Really now.
Barratt comes off as a typical secular liberal (his great uncle was a mole for Stalin in Whitehall after all, according to the dust jacket) who not only can't fathom someone being of a genuinely religious nature (they suspect every religious person is a hypocrite), but also eternally frustrated that centralizing tyrant kings aren't 21st century liberals in their politics. That being said, aside from his bizarre distaste for St. Thomas à Becket, he's even-handed everywhere else.
Also, please ignore the other reviewers that are confused why Barratt would talk "so much" about the exchequer and financial issues. He honestly doesn't talk too much about them and I wish he had gone more in-depth for a Yankee as myself who's not familiar with the exchequer's role, but you do get a general idea for those not acquainted. However, for these reviewers to think that the freaking purse strings of an empire aren't important enough to mention - or even worse - that these dullards actually wanted details on titillating dalliances and personal court gossip in a HISTORY book over the real crucial bits of power in that period says more about them than it does Barratt, warts and all.
Another plus for Barratt is his recommended reading at the end, especially of the estimable Sir Charles Oman in addition to Gibbons and Mary Beard. Oman btw is firmly in the public sphere being a late Victorian/early Edwardian historian and you can find his works gratis on archive dot org.
Barratt comes off as a typical secular liberal (his great uncle was a mole for Stalin in Whitehall after all, according to the dust jacket) who not only can't fathom someone being of a genuinely religious nature (they suspect every religious person is a hypocrite), but also eternally frustrated that centralizing tyrant kings aren't 21st century liberals in their politics. That being said, aside from his bizarre distaste for St. Thomas à Becket, he's even-handed everywhere else.
Also, please ignore the other reviewers that are confused why Barratt would talk "so much" about the exchequer and financial issues. He honestly doesn't talk too much about them and I wish he had gone more in-depth for a Yankee as myself who's not familiar with the exchequer's role, but you do get a general idea for those not acquainted. However, for these reviewers to think that the freaking purse strings of an empire aren't important enough to mention - or even worse - that these dullards actually wanted details on titillating dalliances and personal court gossip in a HISTORY book over the real crucial bits of power in that period says more about them than it does Barratt, warts and all.
Another plus for Barratt is his recommended reading at the end, especially of the estimable Sir Charles Oman in addition to Gibbons and Mary Beard. Oman btw is firmly in the public sphere being a late Victorian/early Edwardian historian and you can find his works gratis on archive dot org.
December 23, 2024
Very detailed and interesting book. Took forever to read as really needed to concentrate, and had to keep going back to the family tree to see how they were all related and the extended family. Great Summary about Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and King John. Ending with Henry III.
The last section about the Magna Carta was very interesting too.
I feel like some bits were glossed over- and will need to read more about them. For Example Richard's death!
But it was interesting to read about our jury duty, taxation, custom duties and navy all are the direct result of the magna carta- and the section on jury duty (by peers) was about item #31 or something. The barons were more concerned about the taxes and the King's summons to war. It was also interesting that King John tried to reneg on the deal almost immediately, even though this was one of the actual terms- he couldn't! The lead up to the Magna Carta does make sense though, the barons had had enough.
Note- I am not familiar with these King's and the history content, so it was all fairly new. And I too also found the book jumped around a bit from King to King, back and forth - and in time. I found this also confusing.
The book held my interest though.
Buy, Borrow or Bin? This is a Borrow from me.
The last section about the Magna Carta was very interesting too.
I feel like some bits were glossed over- and will need to read more about them. For Example Richard's death!
But it was interesting to read about our jury duty, taxation, custom duties and navy all are the direct result of the magna carta- and the section on jury duty (by peers) was about item #31 or something. The barons were more concerned about the taxes and the King's summons to war. It was also interesting that King John tried to reneg on the deal almost immediately, even though this was one of the actual terms- he couldn't! The lead up to the Magna Carta does make sense though, the barons had had enough.
Note- I am not familiar with these King's and the history content, so it was all fairly new. And I too also found the book jumped around a bit from King to King, back and forth - and in time. I found this also confusing.
The book held my interest though.
Buy, Borrow or Bin? This is a Borrow from me.
November 6, 2022
This story is the perfect microcosm of English royal history. There are various tropes which will also be used whenever trying to show a dysfunctional royal family.
To wit:
• Henry II married a previous monarch’s widow for money and power
• The widow was Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is a no-nonsense woman who will not stand idly by
• Henry’s sons hate him, love him, hate him again
• Each son is married off to varying degrees of success, many mistresses to follow
• War, war, and more war
• The French do everything in their power to make life miserable
Barratt is both in-depth and high-level in his approach. This is not a full biography of anyone, and you need to have a baseline understanding of the time period to keep up. There are some massive personalities even beyond the royal family including William Marshal, Thomas Becket, and various other royals from other countries.
To wit:
• Henry II married a previous monarch’s widow for money and power
• The widow was Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is a no-nonsense woman who will not stand idly by
• Henry’s sons hate him, love him, hate him again
• Each son is married off to varying degrees of success, many mistresses to follow
• War, war, and more war
• The French do everything in their power to make life miserable
Barratt is both in-depth and high-level in his approach. This is not a full biography of anyone, and you need to have a baseline understanding of the time period to keep up. There are some massive personalities even beyond the royal family including William Marshal, Thomas Becket, and various other royals from other countries.
July 18, 2023
I was expecting a broad overview of the Angevins from Henry II to John and this largely is what I got. However, having not read about these kings individually, I found some new appreciation for Richard and John particularly. Previously, I thought of Richard alternately as the great warrior and absentee king and John of course as the hapless "Lackland" but I would say Barratt gave a more well rounded and sympathetic view of both of them - I think highlighting Richard's capability in governance and John's ruthless efficiency in (some) times of war.
This said, I found the chapters in this book to be incredibly long. I can't say that the length of chapters in a book has ever really mattered to me but probably for the first time it occurred to me how long these were.
Nothing revelatory here but a good overview of these kings.
This said, I found the chapters in this book to be incredibly long. I can't say that the length of chapters in a book has ever really mattered to me but probably for the first time it occurred to me how long these were.
Nothing revelatory here but a good overview of these kings.
February 3, 2021
The Angevin Empire consisted of three kings - Henry II of England, Richard I of England, and John of England. They ruled over an area of western Europe during the 12th and early 13th centuries. Their empire was roughly half of medieval France as well as all of England and Ireland. The name Angevin came from the French region and town of Anjou which was the home of the Plantagenet family.
Their reigns were beset by constant wars with France, frequent troubles with popes, and rebellions from wealthy barons which culminated in the creation of Magna Carta in 1215. This is not only a history of the politics of the period but of society and culture, and the interactions of the three.
Their reigns were beset by constant wars with France, frequent troubles with popes, and rebellions from wealthy barons which culminated in the creation of Magna Carta in 1215. This is not only a history of the politics of the period but of society and culture, and the interactions of the three.
February 19, 2021
I think this is a good overview of the Plantagenet family saga -- a story bloodier and more scandalous than Game of Thrones -- if you know nothing about it. As it is, I have become quite the expert on the Plantagenet dynasty in quarantine so it all felt like review to me. But it is accessible and well-written, so recommended if you, unlike me, are not inclined to read half a dozen assorted biographies of various Plantagenet family members. (Yeah, I don't understand why I embarked on this reading project either, lockdown does strange things to us all.)
July 2, 2022
This is a very readable and comprehensive history of the Angevins. It uses a few outstanding events as hooks on which to hang the story - the White Ship Disaster, the murder of Becket, the capture of King William the Lion at Alnwick, the death of King Richard, the loss of King John's treasure in The Wash. I am not sure that this works entirely as a narrative device because it necessitates some chronological dislocation and perhaps downplays some equally significant happenings, but on the whole Barratt is a good enough writer to carry it off. Three-and-a-half points probably.
June 15, 2019
While this book was really interesting it was also really hard for me to read. So many people with the same name and moving around in time made it so I would have to re-read parts several times for it to sink in. I will never be able to tell anyone about this book since I feel I’ve come away with just a vague recollection of what I read. Apparently I need the “Restless Kings for Dummies” version. 😬
December 31, 2023
Henry II built the huge Angevin empire with his cleverness, responsibility, and incredible energy. His legitimate sons destroyed it with their greed, abuse, and incompetence. By the time the last one died, France was the power in Europe, thanks in large part to the French King Philip's manipulation of Henry's sons. Author Nick Barratt details the rise and fall with a thorough understanding of the psychology and power politics of these decades.
July 25, 2019
Maybe it's not Barratt's fault but reading 800 year old history is never going to be too detailed or enlightening, the source information is thin. There were not many literate people and what did get recorded was oficial and measured. There is enough to pull the story together but never get to know the characters.
August 10, 2019
Dense (without footnotes) and jumps around, but written in a colourful enough style that kept going till the end. While there are interesting insights on the formation of the state of England, this should be seen more as a dynastic history, albeit one that hasn’t fully committed itself to the approach.
September 4, 2019
The story of King Henry II of England and his five sons - including Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland. Surprisingly detailed considering it's more an overview than anything else, although given how much of it depends on understanding the geography of various conflicts, needed more maps. Still, it's a great place to start when looking at the early Plantagenets.
January 13, 2020
This is more than a simple biography of Henry II and his sons as it also discusses the complex European political scene that was the backdrop to the rise of the Angevin dynasty. While the time period was complicated, the writing here is not and Barratt presented the information in an interesting way.
December 27, 2021
The pointless rehash of the existing literature coming from a governmental bureaucrat. Right. The restless kings. Because the others were never in wars. Probably under the current ruler, more people have died of British weaponry than the while the whole Plantagenet dynasty. Yet, Barratt, as a humble Uriah Heep, will never allow himself to have such heretic thoughts of the hand that feeds him.
May 11, 2019
While the chronology was somewhat annoying (in terms of starting each chapter essentially with a spoiler - for example, with Richard being shot and dying at the beginning of the chapter about his reign), I thought that the overall book tells an interesting story. I think that this would be a good introduction to the period and the reigns of the Plantagenet kings for someone looking to get an understanding of that. Overall, enjoyable!
January 6, 2020
Very Good - I was a big fan of the Dan Jones Plantagenets book and this was like taking a section of that and magnifying it. Well written and interesting, I'd recommend this, especially to anyone who's seen The Lion in Winter!
August 8, 2021
A really light fun read that puts the developmwnt of england and europe in context and dpea a really good job of explaining tjhe significance of these 3 crazy characters to the shape of modern europe today. Big contrast to the often rather boring bios pf medeival monarchs.
May 3, 2019
Absolutely brilliant and really helps give an understanding of the start of the wars of the roses
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews