About this book
The Plantagenets covers the family that held the English throne from Henry II in the twelfth century to the deposition of Richard II in 1399. Along the way come Richard the Lionheart, King John and Magna Carta, the conquering Edward I, the disastrous Edward II and the long wars with France under Edward III.
Dan Jones writes brisk, vivid narrative history built around personalities. Each reign is a chapter in a family saga, with brothers, sons and wives turning against one another as often as they fought foreign enemies. Yet beneath the drama he also traces something larger: how this turbulent period gave England many of its lasting institutions, from Parliament to the common law.
It is an ideal entry point to medieval England for readers who find textbook treatments dry. If you enjoy Jones's style, his history of the Knights Templar, The Templars, takes the same energetic approach to the wider world of the crusades.
Who it’s for
An excellent introduction to medieval English kings; fast-paced and easy to follow.
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