This is a fair and balanced look at one of the bloodiest times in England's history. I really enjoy Dan Jones' style of writing. His books do not fall into the category of popular history but they do read like them. He truly brings to life the bygone era of which he writes. This book is rich in details of the men and women who took part in the Wars of the Roses. I especially liked Jones' treatment of Richard III. Jones simply presented the facts of the man, both good and bad, without bias. Richard III is such a controversial figure and there are tons of books, both fiction and non, that either praise him as a misaligned saint or the malicious sinner of Shakespeare. I like that Jones stuck to historical fact without judgment, using both contemporary and near contemporary sources. Overall this is an excellent book and definitely worth reading if you have even a passing interest in the time period. The book is clear and concise, which makes it easy to follow the tangled web of the politics and battles of the time. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors Dan Jones, who gave is a first class account of the Plantagenet line of English kings, now turns his attention to the sprawling, difficult history of two main lines of English royalty, the house of Lancaster and the house of York. This takes up half of the fifteenth century, from 1420 to 1471. It is a terribly involved story, with many Edwards and Henrys, with brutal battles on remote moors, with beheadings – even some of which were marred by cleavers that missed their target, imprisonments, chicanery, and deceit. Almost nowhere do we read of a strong king who was able to draw the country together, to move on from its constant obsession with the concept of conquering pieces of what is now France, to lift the country on to a higher economic and cultural plane. Those efforts came later, beginning soon with the ascent of the Tudors, most importantly with Henry VIII and his daughter, Elizabeth I.
Despite the high level of action and even suspense, this story is not at the level of Jones’ previous book on the Plantagenets. It suffers, annoyingly in this reader’s opinion, from a total disinterest in making the story easy to follow. There are detailed geneology charts but the blood lines are difficult to follow and, in some cases, use different names for the same individual. In no case are there any dates on any of the charts. This is a period of English history that is riotous and confusing and it is not made any transparent by these charts.
But let us put this aside. Mark it as a mild objection but not anything crippling. The main story is terrific and when Jones gets his history rolling it is nothing short of gripping. We are led through Henry V’s stirring battle at Agincourt (“we happy few, we band of brothers”), Henry VI presiding over Parliament at the age of two, Jean d’Arc’s rescue of the French army before her destruction at Orleans, the loss of France, Richard III fighting unsuccessfully at Bosworth Field and thus ending the weakening hold on the crown held by the Plantagenets since 1154. Think of this: the Plantagenets and their two main branches of descendants, the Lancasters and the Yorks, for all their weaknesses, had guided Britain for than 300 years, taking it from the Middle Ages to the brink of Britain’s surge to greatness starting with Henry VIII.
I liked this book because it says so much about the drama of English history. On the other hand, reading this book is frustrating for anyone not intimately familiar with the convoluted family tree of English royalty in the 15th century. There are very few hints as to the full dates that are being discussed, very little help in identifying the procession of English monarchs in one easy to read chart, with dates and very little to say about the country itself – its culture, climate, geography, economy, or laws. Overall, it is a worthwhile read but it can be a frustrating read. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors I would give this TEN stars. This book was amazing. Dan Jones' writing style is absolutely engaging. It reads like a novel than a historical book, which sucked me in. There was SO MUCH going on that it took me a while to remember all of the characters, but all of the info was completely digestible. It wasn't pretentious or snarky (as if we are all scholars of the Plantagenets) and it was accessible and justFUN to read. I would, however, suggest reading Dan Jones' book The Plantagenets *before* this one, just to help you get into it and understand why everyone is fighting. (I read this one first, and I wish I'd gone in order though still totally worth all of the reads.) This book makes me wish I'd studied this in college. GREAT read. Highly recommended. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors I enjoy non fiction histories but some can drag in spots or become tedious recounting events, this is NOT one of those volumes. Mr. Jones keeps this very well chronicled version moving along with interesting sidebars, vibrant descriptive passages recounting climatic or dramatic events of this period of tumultuous English history. If you have an interest in the English aristocracy of this time, even the European continent's monarchies but have shied away from the 3 and 4 volume works this one by Dan Jones suits perfectly. Thoughtfully included are maps of the times showing lands held, territories in addition to nice genealogy tree's you can refer back easily. All in all very readable, beautifully written while transporting back into time of bloody intrigues, glorious yet savage battles, victories, defeats, incredible pageantry and at times a palpable sense of the times, the people and life in the 1400's. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors I read this after reading Thomas Wyatt: The Heart's Forest and so popular history came as quite a shock. Dan Jones leads the reader on a merry caper from 1420 1470 dealing with the twists and turns of the English monarchy. His primary theme is that an inability to hold onto the throne once won eventually allowed the downfall of the Plantagenets and the rise of the Tudors. This is a complex story; there was a lot going on. Dan Jones keeps the reader on track reasonably well.
Despite accusations to the contrary I'm no medievalist ( of an Elizabethan) but I found the book to be well paced but a little light on content. The big flaw is Jones' reliance on secondary and not primary sources. His history is fine in terms of chronology and he takes no real risks with interpretation. The chosen style keeps the work flowing but I did find myself wishing for deeper dives into the detail and potential causation a little .
I suspect that it's wrong to chide Dan Jones for writing a popular history of the fall of the Plantagenets. In the end he did what he set out to do. I just wish the pace had been a little slower and the detail a little richer. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors
The author of the New York Times bestseller The Plantagenets and The Templarschronicles the next chapter in British historythe historical backdrop for Game of Thrones
The inspiration for the Channel 5 series Britains Bloody Crown
The crown of England changed hands five times over the course of the fifteenth century, as two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty fought to the death for the right to rule. In this riveting follow up to The Plantagenets, celebrated historian Dan Jones describes how the longest reigning British royal family tore itself apart until it was finally replaced by the Tudors.
Some of the greatest heroes and villains of history were thrown together in these turbulent times, from Joan of Arc to Henry V, whose victory at Agincourt marked the high point of the medieval monarchy, and Richard III, who murdered his own nephews in a desperate bid to secure his stolen crown. This was a period when headstrong queens and consorts seized power and bent men to their will. With vivid descriptions of the battles of Towton and Bosworth, where the last Plantagenet king was slain, this dramatic narrative history revels in bedlam and intrigue. It also offers a long overdue corrective to Tudor propaganda, dismantling their self serving account of what they called the Wars of the Roses. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors
I loved the first part of the book, then it gets some incredibly complicated and confusing with most protagonists having the same first name! It’s a great read, but you really have to focus or make notes as you go along. I come from a family of historians, love history myself and this is obviously not my first book on medieval england, but I found it hard to follow the plot after a while The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors Be warnedThis book is the American version of Dan Jones’ The Hollow Crown with a different cover and approx £7 expensive, for that price I would want hardback! I’ve had to return it as I already have The Hollow Crown which by the way is very good a definitely worth a read. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors As with all Dan Jones's work, excellent and well written. But I found the Americanised spelling irritatinng. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors Very nice book, well packed and arrived on time The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors I enjoyed reading the book and got an insight into the history. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors
Summary The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors
