The story of what happened between 14, which is the story told in this book, answers the question: how?" One murder could be said to have been a direct result of the other. "This story begins in 1400 with the murder of one king, and ends in 1471 with the murder of another. Who knows, I think I'll run through the rest of the Histories, too, for good measure and variety. :) There's nothing like a bit of deep immersion to bring out the inner geek. The rest is pretty comprehensive to my layman's eye, though, and I'm satisfied even if even I found it a bit dry.Īnd now, I'm set to run through all the Shakespearian Histories for this time! :) Yay! (Well, for a second time, anyway. One thing I can say is that my knowledge has increased quite a bit, and isn't that what we really look for in a good History? It's not extremely focused, but it gives us some background before Henry VI loses France and sparks the real beginning of the War. I got a lot out of it, but since I'm not an expert in the field, what I do understand is dwarfed by all the little things that passed me by. But if you are familiar with the broad strokes, then there are much worse reference points for you. It's bloody and sad and horrific and sad. I recommend other works if you are new to the 1455-1485 period in England. Tons of names, battles, and character studies of kings and notables are extant. Well even though I spelled this out in horribly simplistic terms, do NOT assume that this book is anything simple. Well, until Richard III kills all the Heirs and crowns himself king until Henry VII smites him down, but that's all ancient history, right? Right? Both were pretty much the heroes that stopped all the previous stupid conflicts that was dragging England through the mud.Īnd then, after some really great women power between a few queens including Margaret, the impossible eventually happens. Edward IV is crowned king with the help of Warwick even though Henry VI is still kicking, and even though it begins well, Warwick and Edward start baring fangs at each other and yet MORE war happens. Then somewhere down the line, after Margaret of Anjou, his wife, is pregnant, Henry VI has a mental breakdown and she takes over, impressively, but not flawlessly. Only this time, Henry VI was set up on his mother's side to madness, a common malady of kings, and that, combined with horribly overbearing uncles and "helpers" to the throne, a power struggle begins, pulling this way and that and nobody really blames the poor king when the conflicts break out. Leaving another kid to be the king, just like Richard II. People loved Hal, later to become King Henry V, and they were all amazed at how much of France he had won for England, capping off a truly heroic entry and the close end of the Hundred Years War.Īnd then he died. You can trace its roots back to Richard II when Henry IV deposed him, setting up the later battles between York and Lancaster, but this is somewhat disingenuous. First of all, no amount of quick re-telling can ever do actual history any justice, but suffice to say, The War of the Roses was a ROYAL MESS. Illustrated with more than 200 photographs, artworks and maps, The Wars of the Roses reveals the scheming and betrayal, the skullduggery and murder behind the struggle to gain power – and then hold on to it.All right. From mad Henry VI captured in battle to the mystery of the ‘Princes in the Tower’ and the truth behind Richard III’s deformity, the book is a lively account of more than 30 tumultuous years. Its protagonists were twisted by their conflicting loyalties of blood, marriage and, above all, ambition. Martin said: “I’ve drawn on many parts of history, but the Wars of the Roses is probably the one A Song Of Ice and Fire is closest to.” Telling the story of the fifteenth century wars between Lancastrians and Yorkists, The Wars of the Roses follows the course of the conflict from the succession of infant King Henry VI right through to the defeat of rebellions under Henry VII. Kings who were insane, infant or imprisoned feuding families, disputed successions and monarchs executing their brothers exiled nobles, war with France and enemies forced to unite against a common foe – the history of the Wars of the Roses is so filled with drama that it feels like fiction.
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