A novelistic historical account of the bloodline that ‘stamped their mark forever on the English imagination’ . . . Perhaps Jones’ regular column in the London Standard has given him a different slant on history; however he manages, it’s certainly to our benefit. . . . For enjoyable historical narratives, this book is a real winner.”

The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made…

The measure of ‘good’ here really needs to be refined. Good means effective. It does not mean as in good as in good; anything but, if you take my meaning. For Jones the effective include Henry II, Richard I, Edward I and Edward III. The bad, or rather the ineffectual, are King John (isn’t he on every list of great historical baddies?), Henry III, Edward II and Richard II. I don't think a single Plantagenet died without a certain amount of dramatic irony, or some variety of contention over the succession.Citizens of a realm will put up with a lot as long as their king is strong. They don’t mind dying for an effective king who shows leadership and ability, but they do mind dying for a weak king who is much more worried about his pleasures than the safety and concerns of his kingdom. Fortunately, there are men and women willing to stand up to those Plantagenet kings who prove unworthy, and thankfully, there are more capable members of the family available when they need them the most.

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

In assessing the 8 Plantagenet kings, the author pretty much accepts the standard judgment of who was a good king and who was not. The good kings include Henry II, Richard I, Edward I and Edward III while John, Edward II and Richard II are listed as bad kings. The primary determiner of who was a good or bad king seems to be whether they were good generals or not. The Plantagenets played a defining part in shaping the nation of England, and Dan Jones tells their fascinating story with wit, verve, and vivid insight. This is exhilarating history—a fresh and gloriously compelling portrait of a brilliant, brutal, and bloody-minded dynasty.”

There are many highlights, but I especially enjoyed the sections that covered the reigns of Edward II and Richard II, two disastrous rulers. Fans of Shakespeare’s play RICHARD II will want to revisit that text after reading this book, and the revisit will be richer for it.