Jasper tudor7/4/2023 ![]() ![]() It is this information that is crucial for readers to understand Henry’s motive for claiming the throne and how it was an arduous task to achieve. He then explains, rather briefly, the conflict known as the Wars of the Roses and how England got to the point where it was Henry Tudor versus King Richard III for the throne. As a reader, I was a bit confused about the direction that Carradice was taking by using this approach since this is a historical non-fiction book instead of historical fiction, but Carradice was able to tie it in nicely. I wanted to learn more about Henry Tudor’s march to Bosworth and I certainly did in this book.Ĭarradice begins his book with a novel-like description of Henry, or “Harri”, and his uncle Jasper Tudor landing in Wales. This is the second book in the “Following in the Footsteps” series that I have read, so I was cautiously optimistic. I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. Phil Carradice believed that it was time for the story of the first Tudor king and his march to destiny to be told in his latest book, “Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor: A Historical Journey From Pembroke to Bosworth”. The story of how an exile became a king and founded the infamous Tudor dynasty deserves attention. It is a tale that started from his birth at Pembroke Castle to being an exile and then from an exile to being King of England. One particular case is of Henry Tudor’s march to the Battle of Bosworth Field. We rarely pay attention to the march that led to the battle, but when we do, there is a distinct reason why. In the study of history, we tend to look at the beginning and the end of a battle and why they were fought. If you want to begin a study into this time, I highly recommend you read, “The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors”. Another enjoyable and engaging book by Dan Jones. It acts as a fantastic introduction to this turbulent time in English history that brought the downfall of the powerful Plantagenets and brought forth the Tudors. Jones was able to weave the stories of these extraordinary people with the bloody battles and the politics that defined the era into this delightful book. Then there are figures who stand on their own who worked behind the scenes, like Warwick “The Kingmaker”, Margaret Beaufort, Owen and Jasper Tudor, the Princes in the Tower, and the ultimate victor, Henry VII. From Henry VI and his dynamic wife Margaret of Anjou to the sons of Richard duke of York Edward IV, Richard III ( Ricardians might not agree with Jones’ assessment of Richard III) and George Duke of Clarence. What I appreciate about Jones’ book is that his focus is on the people who made the Wars of the Roses so fun to study. It was the rivals between the powerful men and women behind the crown, like Richard, Duke of York and Margaret of Anjou, which led to the thirty years of civil wars. This wouldn’t have been a problem if Henry VI was as strong as his father, but alas, as king was very weak, which meant that he needed help to rule his kingdoms. When Henry V tragically died of dysentery, his infant son Henry VI became king of both England and France. It was the royal blood and who had the right to rule that was at the heart of the Wars of the Roses, as Jones goes on to explain.Īlthough the true origins of the conflict go back to the sons of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault, Jones chooses to explore the reign of King Henry V, Catherine of Valois, and their son Henry VI. ![]() Her death had more to do with her Plantagenet blood and the fact that she was the daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, than with any crime she committed. Jones begins his book with the horrific execution of the elderly Margaret Pole, the last white rose of York. ![]() I did borrow it from my local library and read it a few years ago, but I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I wanted to add it to my personal collection. I will admit that this was not my first time reading this particular book. Today, we call this time period “The Wars of the Roses”, but what was it all about? Who were the main figures during this time? What were the crucial battles that defined these wars? How did the Plantagenet Dynasty fall and how did the Tudors become the new dynasty to rule England? These questions and more are explored in Dan Jones’ book, “The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors”. None more so than in the fifteenth century when a tug of war for the English crown broke out. England throughout the centuries has known internal strife with civil wars to determine who had the right to rule the island nation. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |